Baby Makes Three
by FineyMcFine
Summary: Totally AU! Willow Rosenberg is a senior at Sunnydale High. She and her friends are bullied relentlessly until Willow stumbles upon a huge secret and decides to take matters into her own hands. There is no Hellmouth, just lot's of teen angst, self discovery and of course Willow/Tara goodness...eventually.
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: Baby Makes Three

AUTHOR: Finey_McFine

RATING: PG13 (Language)

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other BtVS characters, as well as some random dialog, belong to Mutant Enemy. ALL other original characters belong to me! Mention of any 'real' people in this fic is brief and pure fantasy.

SUMMARY: Totally AU! Willow Rosenberg is a senior at Sunnydale High. She and her friends are bullied relentlessly until Willow stumbles upon a huge secret and decides to take matters into her own hands. There is no Hellmouth, just lot's of teen angst, self discovery and of course Willow/Tara goodness...eventually.

[i]_Thoughts are in italics_[/i]

FEEDBACK: Yes! Any glaring issues…please send me a PM!

* * *

Chapter 1

"Willow! Sweetie, are you almost ready?" The woman called up the stairs.

"I'll be down in a minute Mom!" The young redheaded girl answered back as she continued to turn from side to side, staring at herself in the full-length mirror. "Yeah, you look hot. You are one sexy beast. In fact, by the end of the day, I bet you're gonna have to beat them off you with a stick. It might be a hot dog on a stick, but it's still a stick." She sighed deeply, " Yep, America's Next Top Dork. 'Who wore it best? Willow Rosenberg or Bozo The Clown? Willow Rosenberg! Yeah..." The petite young girl threw her hands up in mock celebration, then pulled her hair up in a tight ponytail and placed the bright orange hat on her head.

She crossed her bedroom to the fish tank in the corner and leaned forward, smiling at its colorful occupants, before dropping several bits of food in their tank. "You guys are all neon and bright and people call you pretty. They call me a dork. See? It's not as great on the outside as you think it is."

"Honey, if you don't come now, you're going to be late. You can talk to your fish later! I'll meet you in the car!" Willow's mom shouted.

The redhead grumbled, "I'm upstairs, in my bedroom with the door closed and she _still_ knows what I'm doing? What, does she have a crystal ball or something?" Willow thought about the implications for a brief second and then grimaced. _I srue hope she doesn't ALWAYS know what I'm doing in here, because that is just eww. _Finally able to compose herself and shaking off the undesirable thought, she picked up her satchel and headed out the door.

Exactly seven minutes later, Willow was still sitting in her mother's car, parked in front of the Doublemeat Palace. Once again, Willow was staring at her reflection, only this time it was in the small vanity mirror on the flip side of the sun visor.

"Do you think that's a cow or a pig?" She asked her reflection, commenting on the pink and yellow cartoon character protruding off the front of the baseball style cap.

"Are you asking me or is that a rhetorical question?" Her mother asked.

"Both?" Willow questioned, turning to look at her mother and closing the visor.

"I think it's a cow with large pig like ears. It's a cow-pig!"

"Ha ha, very funny. Do I have to go in? Aren't my grades good enough?" Willow whined.

Willow's mother sighed deeply, "You know how your father and I feel about this. If you want a car, you're going to have to work for it. At your age it's a psychological imperative that you learn the value of money. If we just give you everything, you'll take it for granted and expect it; but if you work for it...you will definitely appreciate it more." Willow stared blankly at her mother. "Willow, did you hear a word I just said?"

"You lost me at psychological." The redhead replied flatly.

Willow's mother rolled her eyes, "Go, I'll pick you up at nine."

"Fine." Willow groaned as she exited the car, shutting the door behind her and making her way into the restaurant.

* * *

The Doublemeat Palace, or DMP for short, was a staple in the town of Sunnydale, California. The bright yellow fast food restaurant with the royal blue trim was located on Main Street near the high school and was a perennial hot-spot for teenagers. The majority of Sunnydale's youth frequented the burger joint after school and various sporting events. It was quite popular and Willow despised working there.

Several months earlier, she asked her parents for a car and was met with a resounding 'no.' They told her to get a job and they would match whatever she managed to save towards the purchase of a car. Willow was shocked.

The honor student was far from irresponsible and felt like she _deserved_ to be given a car. She was a good kid and hardly even talked back. Not to mention, as an only child, had become accustom to getting what she wanted. She was somewhat spoiled, even though her parents liked to say she was just 'well taken care of.'

In truth, her parents were worried. Willow had very few friends and spent most of her time online; her high school life, beyond academics, was virtually non existent. They secretly hoped that by forcing her to get a job, they would also be acclimating her to society. Willow, however, saw things differently. She saw it as pure, unadulterated torture.

* * *

A few hours into her shift, Willow was bored out of her mind and passing the time by reading Agatha Christie's, Death on the Nile. Normally, she couldn't get away with reading a book at work, but today was slow and she was working the drive thru window, off by herself.

Even though Willow loathed the DMP, her bosses loved her. She was punctual, always in perfect uniform and could make change without the aid of the cash register, making her somewhat of a rare commodity. She was also quick on the computer and whenever they placed her in drive thru, things seemed to flow faster than usual. Willow also seemed more productive when she was off on her own.

Willow was deeply involved in the murder mystery when she heard the familiar beep alerting her that there was a customer in the drive thru. She reached down to the waist pack and clicked on the mic to her head set, "Welcome to the Doublemeat, where the meat is double sweet. How can I help you today?"

A shrill voice shot back at her immediately, "You can start by taking my order and not screwing it up."

Willow cringed, she knew that voice and it cut through every fiber of her being. Even through the scratchy speaker of the drive thru, the voice was recognizable and it belonged to her arch rival, Cordelia Chase. By far the meanest of the mean girls at Sunnydale high school. Cordelia had made it her life's mission to make Willow's life a living hell and so far, had been quite successful in doing so. Willow could hear giggling and random chatter in the background, she figured it was Cordy's minions, the Cordette's, so she flipped on the video monitor to confirm her suspicions.

The monitor was black and white, but Willow could still make out the shiny new convertible Mustang and three other girls in the car. All of them cheerleaders and all of them loyal to 'Queen C.' In the front seat was Harmony Kendall, Cordelia's closest accomplice and quite possibly the dumbest girl Willow had ever known and in the back, was Buffy Summers and Tara Maclay. Buffy had moved to Sunnydale in their Sophomore year and Willow didn't really know her very well. Tara had grown up in Sunnydale, moved away and had recently moved back. She'd run into Tara a few times, without incident, but always tried to keep her distance. In Willow's eyes, she was guilty by association.

"HELLO! Are you there?" Cordelia screeched through the mic.

Willow cleared her throat, "Yes, go ahead."

Cordelia rattled off her order while the others laughed and yelled obnoxiously in the background.

Willow spoke as little as possible and focused on getting her hands to stop shaking. She knew as soon as they pulled up to her window she was sure to take a verbal lashing.

"Thank you, p-please drive through," Willow braced herself and true to form they didn't disappoint. As soon as the car came into view of Willow, all four girls burst out laughing.

"Well, well what have we here? Willow Rosen-nerd got herself a job...dressed as a clown!" Cordelia spat as the girls laughed once again.

"Th-Th-Th-That'll-" Willow's face burned bright red as she struggled to get the words out.

"Th-Th-Th-Th, you gonna get that sentence out sometime today?" Cordelia taunted.

"Your total is eighteen twenty-six." Willow finally managed to give them the total; she'd never been so nervous.

Cordeila collected cash from the girls and held her hand out to Willow. As the redhead reached for the cash, Cordelia opened her hand suddenly; letting the majority of the bills and coin change fall to the ground.

"Oh my God! What a loser!" Harmony shouted.

"Thanks a lot Cordy," Willow hissed.

"Hey! Don't get snippy with me, nerd! You're the one who dropped it. Geez Willow, can't you even handle a lame fast food job?"

Willow's eyes narrowed and she momentarily pondered jumping through the window and squeezing her fingers tightly around Cordelia's throat. She opened her mouth to speak, just as a co-worker brought her the order.

"Here you go Will," Marcie said handing Willow the bag and noticing the angry tears in Willow's eyes, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"She's a total loser, that's what's wrong! She dropped our money all over the ground and I am NOT picking it up. Gimme my bag! I'm a paying customer and I'm sick of waiting!" Cordelia shouted loudly.

Willow grabbed the bag and thrust it through the window. At this point she just wanted them to leave; she was totally humiliated.

Cordy grabbed the bag and handed it to Harmony, "See you in hell, LOSER!" She exclaimed as she pulled away with all four girls still laughing.

Willow took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm her nerves, but it was too late; the tears had already started to fall.

"Hey," Marcie said as she placed a hand on Willow's shoulder, "Come on, go take your break, Scotty can take the window for awhile and I'll go pick up the money."

Willow nodded weakly, taking off the bulky headset and heading for the backdoor. There was a hidden space out back with a picnic table for the employees and Willow plopped down; her head in her hands. A few minutes later, she felt a soothing hand rubbing across her back.

"You can't let them get to you like this. They're nothing but a bunch of rotten bitches." Marcie proclaimed. Willow simply nodded in agreement. "Will, you have GOT to start standing up for yourself and stop letting them get the best of you."

Willow giggled nervously, "Yeah, that's easy for you to say, you don't have to deal with them everyday."

"Well, you could always drop out like I did and work here for the rest of your natural life." A look of sheer terror crossed Willow's face. "That's what I thought," Marcie smirked, "Besides, how much do you really have to deal with them anyway? I mean, I can't imagine you sharing any of your AP classes with those empty headed bimbos."

Willow chuckled, Assistant Manager Marcie Ross always had a way of making her feel better. When Willow first started, it was Marcie that was there to guide her and allow her to make mistakes. She and Willow had been acquaintances throughout junior high and high school, until one day in their junior year Marcie disappeared. Marcie had been a quite girl and Willow never even noticed that she was missing, until she got the job at the DMP. She had been shocked to find out that, not only had Marcie left school, but it had been over a year since she'd done so. Willow felt awful, knowing all too well how it felt to be invisible. Although it was days like today, that she wished she really was.


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi Everyone and happy Sunday:) Thank's so much for your awesome feedback! It's always nice to see the support, especially on a new fic. I'm not going to say too much or I'll take all the fun out of the story, but I will tell you all this: It's not love at first sight, so buckle up because Tara gets worse before she gets better, lol. **

**Once again, not proofed, so you will probably see typos or grammar stuff. Just shoot me a PM and I'll fix them. Some of the chapters in this story are fairly small, in fact, Ch 3 is so tiny that I will probably post it mid week and then a longer chapter next Sunday:)**

* * *

Chapter 2

Several weeks had passed since the incident with Cordelia at the drive thru window and Willow had been fairly successful flying under the radar at school. She avoided the Cordettes like the plague and started spending more time in the library.

The Sunnydale High School library was her sanctuary. There was no way the popular crowd would be caught dead in there outside of class, especially during lunch. She could relax and become lost in a world with her favorite fictional characters. To Willow it was heaven.

Unfortunately, Willow was also torn. Part of her enjoyed the solitude, but the other part longed for a 'normal' teenage life. One with friends, parties and dating. Those things had alluded her for so long, that she'd pretty much given up the notion altogether.

It wasn't as if Willow was completely friendless, she had friends, but her friends were an odd mix. The four of them used to eat lunch together until the boys, Xander and Jesse, decided that the girls, Willow and Amy, were cramping their style and they broke off from the group. Leaving Willow and Amy to fend for themselves.

Amy was nice, but there was no emotional connection and the girl recently started hanging out with another group of girls. A group of 'goth' girls that scared the pants off Willow. She was sure they were into the dark arts.

What the redhead really longed for was a best friend. Someone she could confide in and talk to for hours, someone that liked the same music and books and someone to hang out with on weekends. It was a tall order and one that Willow had yet to fill.

On this day the redhead sat in the library at a table in front of a large picture window, eating her lunch and gazing out on the beautiful sunny day. She wanted nothing more than to be outside and sitting under her favorite tree.

She imagined herself sitting with her friends, laughing at one of Xander's dumb jokes or making fun of Jesse's hair. As she glanced away from the tree, she could see Xander and Jesse sitting on a picnic table with several other guys and ogling the girls as they walked by. Willow shook her head and wondered if they'd ever mature, but from the looks of things, it wasn't likely.

The bell rang and Willow gathered her books and headed for her last class of the day. Since she had been an AP student her entire school career, she was awarded with early release. Willow was only required to take three core classes and computer lab; she'd already met all of the other requirements and therefore was released from the last few hours of the school day. It was a schedule that worked well for the overachieving redhead.

On her way to class, Willow decided to stop for a quick sip at the water fountain. She'd been drinking for a few seconds when she noticed someone approaching out of the corner of her eye.

"Wow Willow, nice dress. Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears." The blonde laughed snidely as she stood next to a brown haired girl that Willow had never seen before.

"Well, my Mom picked it out," Willow replied quietly. She was a bit shocked, she'd never had a direct run-in with Tara before and couldn't figure out why the girl was being so mean. Unless she was just showing off in front of the new girl.

Tara laughed, "No wonder you're such a guy magnet. Are you done?"

"Oh, yeah...uh...yeah." Willow mumbled looking towards the new girl, who said nothing.

As Willow slinked away she caught Tara's words to the girl. "You wanna fit in here, first rule is 'know your losers.' Once you can identify them all by sight, they're a lot easier to avoid." As the words carelessly fell from Tara's mouth, she could hardly believe that she was saying them. [i]Oh my God! I feel like I'm channelling Cordelia. Make it stop, please make it stop.[/i] Tara silently pleaded with herself as she bent down to take a drink, hoping that would effectively shut her up. The new girl watched helplessly as the dejected redhead hung her head in shame and disappeared down the hall.

* * *

The next morning, the shy and bookish redhead trudged with the masses along the sidewalk in front of Sunnydale High. She carried a satchel, but hugged several books tightly to her chest. As she meandered along, she heard a familiar voice.

"Coming through...coming through. Not certain how to stop." The boy called out as he weaved his way through the thick mass of students.

Willow began to walk up the steps when she noticed that Xander, while riding his skateboard, was looking off in the other direction at the new girl Willow had seen with Tara the day before. Before she could warn him, Xander clotheslined himself with the metal stair rail and fell flat on his back.

Willow stood over her friend as he moaned in pain and clutched his stomach. "Xander, are you okay?" The concern etched on her face was completely lost on the young skateboarder.

"Willow! You're just the person I wanted to see." He exclaimed before righting himself.

"Really?" Willow said excitedly, as the sweet sentiment went typically unnoticed.

"Yeah, you know, I kind of have a problem with math."

"Which part?" Willow answered, hiding her disappointment.

"The math part. Can you help me tonight? Please? Be my study buddy?" He asked anxiously.

"Well, what's in it for me?" [i]Maybe a date?![/i]

"A shiny nickle..."

Willow's face fell, not that she'd really expected anything more from the boy. "Okay. Do you have the book?" Xander shook his head. "You should check it out."

"Check it out?" He asked, truly bewildered.

"From the library. Where the books live." She answered sarcastically.

"Oh, right! I'm there. See, I [i]want[/i] to change." He said, wrapping a friendly arm acround Willow's shoulders as they walked towards the main entrance.

Then, just as they were about to enter the school, they were both hit in the face by something cold, wet and decidedly sticky. Xander dropped his skateboard and Willow dropped her books as they both wiped the cherry slushy from their eyes. The duo were shocked and completely mortified as the surrounding group of jocks cackled loudly.

"What the hell!" Xander shouted as remnants of the ice cold slushy continued to drip from his hair and down his face.

"Oh hey, sorry man, my bad. I uh, must have tripped." The boy said and snorted with laughter; unable to keep a straight face.

Willow was too shocked to say or do anything, nervously scanning the crowd of students to see exactly who had witnessed her humiliation. Of course she spotted Cordy and her followers immediately. All of them were giggling and pointing. Willow just happened to make eye contact with Tara, who smirked and walked away.

Willow slung her hands trying to rid herself of the sticky liquid, but her efforts were fruitless. Suddenly the crowd dispersed as Principle Snyder raced towards them.

"Harris, I expected this from you, but Rosenberg? See what happens when you associate yourself with a delinquent?"

"But...but Principle Snyder, it wasn't his fault! Those guys they-" The redhead exclaimed.

The little balding man crossed his arms across his chest, "It never is. Both of you go to the locker rooms, clean up, change into your gym clothes and get to class." He barked, as he spun on his heels and marched back into the school.

Willow turned to her friend, "Xander, I'm so sorry."

He sighed deeply, "It's not your fault Willow. Come on, let's go or we're gonna be late."

* * *

Xander paced furiously back and forth in front of the bench Willow was eating lunch on; nervously tugging on the hem of his one size too small gym shorts. Willow couldn't help but think how sexy Xander looked. Not only were his shorts too small, but his cotton t-shirt was tight fitting as well; showing off his muscular biceps.

To Willow, Xander was an enigma. Some days she felt drawn to him and some, completely repulsed. Today was one of the good days, despite the earlier mini-disaster. If it had not happened, she would be eating lunch in her usual spot; alone in the library and not hanging out with the boy she'd been semi-crushing on since kindergarten. The slushy incident, although unpleasant, had it's advantages.

"We can't let them get away with it, we have to do something," He exclaimed.

"Just what do you propose we do? If we retaliate, our lives will be an even bigger hell than they already are. Besides, only eight more months until we graduate and we never have to see these people again."

"Eight more months of slushy hell? No thank you. Something needs to be done and now!" Willow stared blankly at Xander as he continued to pace. "Well, we know Snyder isn't going to do anything, so we have to take matters into our own hands. I say we slash tires, toilet paper houses, and super glue lockers!"

Willow shook her head vehemently, "Huh uh, no way I'm not doing any of those things and neither are you. You'll get expelled form school!"

Xander slumped down next to his friend, "But we have to do [i]something.[/i]" He pleaded.

Willow nodded, she knew he was right and they couldn't allow the abuse to continue, but she was terrified. In her entire life, she'd never gone against the grain. She was always 'good little Willow,' straight 'A' student. She was practical, responsible, level headed as well as self appointed president and charter member of club 'purity and virginity.' She couldn't think of a single devious thing to do and even if she could, there was no way she could muster the courage to go through with it. It just wasn't in her nature.

She shrugged her shoulders as the bell rang. [i]Thank God, saved by the bell![/i]

"I-I'll think about it Xander, but right now, I need to go to class. Hey, don't forget that math book, okay?"

"Sure Wills, I'll drop by your place after school."

"Bye Xan."

"See ya."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi All...Thanks so much for the lovely feedback:) There's been a lot of, "Gasp, Tara!" and I wanted you all to know that it is difficult it is for me to write Tara like this, but it also makes for a fun fic! They both have some obstacles to overcome before things start to develop, but it's the getting there that's the best part. **

**The slushy incident was a cross between Glee and Weird Science, lol. I love them both! Anyway, this next chapter is sort of a necessary filler for Willow's character development than anything else. Plus, it's a creative use of canon...my favorite thing to do:)))) Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3

Life was short, too short to be sitting around thinking about Cordelia Chase and her assortment of mindless flunkies. Willow had more important things on her mind, like how to wrangle Xander into a date. They'd been seeing a lot of each other the last few weeks and were back to eating lunch together outside, with Willow tutoring him after school when she wasn't working.

Unfortunately, their favorite lunch spot under the shade tree had been taken over by Amy and her group of gothic wannabes. So Willow, Xander and Jesse had been relegated to eat on the patio and share a small concrete bench. It was out in the open, but they went fairly unnoticed since the popular kids all left campus for lunch.

Willow arrived first and began digging into her lunch bag; pulling out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a carton of milk. She'd been lost in thought, scheming ways to rope Xander into this imaginary date when she was approached by the new girl she'd seen with Tara several weeks earlier.

"Uh, hi. Willow, right?" The brunette asked.

Willow looked up anxiously, "Why? I mean hi. Did you want me to move?"

The new girl rolled her eyes and sat down next to the apprehensive redhead, "Why don't we start with 'Hi, I'm Anya and then let's segue directly to me asking you for a favor. It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve us spending some quality time together."

Willow was aghast. _Quality time? Why?_ "But aren't you ...hanging out with the Cordettes?"

"Yeah, I have. Can't I do both?" Anya asked.

"Not legally," Willow dead panned, taking a bite of her PB&J.

Anya took a deep breath, "Look, I really want to get by here. New school...and Cordelia's been fairly nice - to me, anyway - but I have this burning desire not to flunk all my classes, and spend another year in this hellhole. I have plans and they don't involve staying here! Anyway, I heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to if I wanted to get caught up."

"Oh um, I'm already tutoring someone, plus I have my own homework and with my job I uh...I don't think I'll have the time...sorry." She said as she turned away slightly. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something off putting about this girl.

"Hey, are you guys busy? Can we interrupt? We're interrupting!" Xander declared as he hopped up to sit on the ledge behind the bench.

"Hey," Anya said as her eyes raked down Xander's body.

Something registered with Willow when she saw the predatory look in Anya's eyes and she stiffened.

"Hey Wilster, who's you're new friend? Aren't you gonna introduce us?" Jesse asked.

"Anya, this is Jesse and that's Xander."

"Oh, me and Anya go way back. Old friends, very close. Then there was that period of estrangement, I think we were both changing as people, but here we are and it's like old times, I'm quite moved." Xander finished sheepishly.

"Is it me, or are you turning into a bibbling idiot?" Jesse commented.

Xander's face was flushed red with embarrassment, "It's not you."

"It's nice meeting you guys...I think." Anya said, never taking her eyes off the dark haired young man; causing Xander to giggle nervously as the girl's eyes bore into him.

Willow's bright green eyes darkened, as they darted between her friend and the new girl. She felt jealous, but it wasn't an all consuming jealousy, it was more along the lines of loss. She'd just reconnected with 'friend' Xander and she was terrified of losing him. She tried to convince herself that all this playful banter was nothing, but she couldn't deny the fact that both Anya and Xander seemed to have _'something'_ going on. "So, you two know each other?" Willow gulped.

Anya blinked, finally shifting her eyes away from Xander, "We sort of ran into each other in the hall this morning. I 'dropped' my books and he picked them up."

"So, chivalry isn't dead afterall. Hey, I'll pick up and even carry your books...anytime," Jesse said as he winked at Anya.

"Oh brother," Willow mumbled.

"So, what were you girls talking about? Maybe some intense girl talk..." Xander was practically giddy at the thought; clapping his hands and rubbing his palms together in a circular motion..

Willow opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Anya, "Actually, I was groveling with Willow and begging for her to tutor me and she was explaining how she didn't have the time."

"Oh. Oh! She tutors me after school and I'd be _more than happy_ to share some of my time with you." As the words tumbled out of Xander's mouth, Willow was frantically waving her hands and shaking her head behind the new girl. "What?"

"Oh um, I just don't have a lot of time Xan, what with the job and everything. So, I only really have time for you and-"

"I know Willow, that's why I'm willing to give up part of my time for Anya here. Then you don't have to put in any extra." He said, smiling brightly.

Willow was stumped, she didn't want to be rude, Anya was nice enough, but she didn't want this girl intruding on her time with Xander either. _Especially_ with the looks these two were giving each other. "Well, I guess..."

"Great! Then it's settled. Anya can meet me in front of school and we can walk to your house after."

* * *

Willow found herself once again standing in front of the full length mirror on the back of her closet door, except this time she was fully nude; save for the bath towel wrapped securely around her long red hair.

She was examining her body closely. "What's Anya have that I don't?" She asked no one in particular. "Well for one thing, boobs." She replied to herself, turning sideways, sucking in her stomach and thrusting her naked chest forward.

She held her breath for a few seconds as she ran her hands down over her ribs, stopping at her hips. Finally exhaling a loud puff of air, she turned away from her reflection and squeezed her butt cheeks. Turning yet again and facing the mirror, she slouched as she returned her hands to her hips. "What's she have that I don't? Everything."

Willow was feeling a little more down than usual, after spending the better part of the afternoon with Xander and Anya. The two had shown up at her house just as Xander promised, only not very much studying got done. He and Anya were too busy making googly eyes at each other or giggling over some dumb 'Xander type' story. Willow grew frustrated as their childish behavior continued and finally feigned a headache to get them to leave. All in all, the afternoon was a total bust. When they asked if they could return the next day, Willow was thrilled to be able to say she had a shift at the Doublemeat; knowing that she couldn't take another minute of their nonsense.

After towel drying and brushing out her hair, Willow climbed into bed and made a silent wish. It was the same wish that she'd been making for years every night before bed. "_I wish I had someone special; just for me._" She whispered, clutching her favorite stuffed puppy to her chest, closing her eyes tightly and drifting off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I was pretty sure I would take some crap for the role reversals in this fic, but I don't think it's a fail with Anya. After all, she was the new girl in S3 plus, Willow needs something to push her away from Xander. I just thought it would be sorta fun...it is fiction after all. Just be happy it wasn't Dawn! :p Big reveal coming!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

The bell rang and Willow gathered her things and headed towards the library, she was ready to put in some quality time researching for her science fair project. For Willow, the annual science fair was like the Olympics. She'd never been much into competitive sports, but when it came to academics, she was a gold medalist. Her drive for academic perfection was unmatched and she never lost at any competition, except for the science fair. It was the bain of her academic existence.

For the last three years, Willow had entered and placed second to Chris Epps, a shy and brainy guy that held the record for most consecutive wins. This was Willow's last chance and she was bound and determined to win. She'd found out by accident that her science teacher, Dr. Clark, didn't really understand any of Chris' complicated experiments and had been giving him higher marks to make it look like he did. Armed with inside knowledge, Willow decided to pick something completely random and so over complicate it, that he would be forced to give her the better grade, instead of Chris.

Smiling proudly, she opened her spiral notebook and wrote at the top of the page: 'The Effects of Subviolet Light Spectrum Deprivation on the Development of Fruit Flies.' _That ought to do the trick,_ she thought. She pulled the thick, dusty volume on insect research closer to her and dug her heels in.

Willow was so involved, that she never noticed the group of four girls that had convened a couple tables in front of her. It wasn't until she heard Cordelia discussing her choice of projects that Willow finally looked up. Mostly in a sort of morbid fascination.

"I chose, The Tomato: Fruit or Vegetable." Cordy said proudly to the girls. "Ugh," She continued, "It is not fair that they're making participation in the Science Fair mandatory this year. I don't think anyone should have to do anything educational at school if they don't want to."

Tara gave Cordelia a questioning look. "What? I want something I can finish in a day." Harmony and Buffy agreed as Tara shook her head in disbelief; getting up to retrieve a book off the shelf behind Willow.

Willow pretended to be busy when Tara passed by her, but the truth of the matter was that she was too completely dumbfounded by Cordelia's ridiculous statement to concentrate. She couldn't believe how idiotic the girl was or how she was passing any of her classes at all.

"Harmony, are you listening to me? I'm sorry to interrupt your all important nail filing, but I need you to help me with this project." Cordelia stated indigently as she and Harmony began to bicker.

Willow kept her head down and rolled her eyes, "It's a fruit, you morons." She mumbled, but it was just loud enough for Tara to hear. The popular blonde cheerleader couldn't help but snicker; knowing that Willow was right...on several levels.

The bell for sixth period finally rang and the girls moved on to their next class. The library became quiet and peaceful again, until Jesse burst through the swinging double doors.

"Willow!" He shouted.

The redhead jumped, completely startled by the loud noise. The boy looked frantic. "What's wrong?"

Jesse was panting, completely out of breath, "Xander's been hurt."

"Wha...what happened?" Willow felt her stomach drop and a wave of nausea rip through her body.

"He was on his way to gym and he got ambushed. That asshole Percy threw a slushy in his face and it cut his eye or something."

"I, I don't understand. How could a slushy cut his eye?" Willow's head was spinning.

"I don't know, but it did. He was on the floor with his hand over his eye and screaming in pain."

"Where is he?" Willow asked; she'd already begun to pack up her things.

"His Mom came and took him to the hospital."

"I have to go to him," She said sternly as she threw the backpack over her shoulder and raced out of the library.

* * *

Willow's shift at the Doublemeat was slow and she'd relinquished her position at the drive thru to give a co-worker some hands on experience. She was bored, as usual, but was keeping herself busy sorting and organizing the condiments rack in the lobby. It was a job that no one else wanted, but one that Willow throughly enjoyed and one which she had down to a science. She knew exactly how many rows and how many packets of each item fit neatly into the various bins. It was a true organizational work of art.

Doing repetitive work, without interruption, also served a dual purpose. It gave Willow time to think and since Xander's injury a week ago, she hadn't had much time to herself. She'd been spending all of her free time at his bedside. When Percy threw that slushy in her best friend's face, their world changed. It was an innocuous prank that had gone all kinds of wrong and ended up with Xander nearly loosing an eye.

Percy West was Sunnydale High's star basketball player and as such, was awarded cart-blanche from the school administration. He basically did whatever he wanted, as long as the team kept winning games. Unfortunately, basketball was about the extent of Percy's knowledge, so when he put the rock salt in the slushy to 'keep it frozen,' he had no idea how dangerous a weapon he'd created. When he threw the frozen concoction at Xander, the hard rocky pieces of salt became trapped in his left eye; severely scratching his cornea, requiring laser surgery and an eyepatch.

The incident happened on a Friday and when Willow returned to school on Monday, she learned that Percy had only received a mere slap on the wrist. Four days of in school detention which conveniently ended the day before a scheduled varsity basketball game. Willow was furious and lobbied Principle Snyder for his expulsion; she'd nagged the man so much that he threatened to suspend her for a week if she didn't let it go. Her mood was dark, as she plotted ways to get back at Percy and all of the popular kids for their constant harassment. Her eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth thinking about Xander lying in that hospital bed with half of his face bandaged.

She was so completely caught up, that she'd forgotten about several ketchup packets tightly clutched in her fist; that is, until she felt the cool, sticky liquid begin to ooze out between her fingers.

"Ewww gross," She mumbled and grabbed a few napkins to clean up the mess. Just as she finished, she heard her General Manager, Mr. Flutie, call her into the kitchen.

"Willow, how would you like to get off work early and still get paid?" He asked.

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "Sure."

"Great, because I have a super special job for you! I need you to deliver this bag of food to my wife over at _Little Cuddles Day Care_ on Union and Pine. She's working late tonight and it's on your way home, so I hope you don't mind."

Willow smiled sweetly, "Nope, not at all!" She was thrilled to be getting out of there and going home early for a change. She hadn't spent quality time with her laptop in days.

Willow grabbed the bag, gathered up her backpack and practically sprinted out the door, before Mr. Flutie had time to change his mind. He'd never seen her move quite so fast before.

* * *

Willow trotted off down the street towards the day care, making a quick stop at the Espresso Pump to pick up an extra large mocha. Unfortunately, the day care was further than she realized and by the time she arrived at the colorfully painted building, she was close to peeing in her pants.

Willow grabbed the handle to open the door, nearly toppling over and dropping the bag of food; as she jerked the handle forward, the door hadn't budge. Looking down she frowned when she saw there was digital keypad and a sign indicating that the door was always locked for security purposes. She cupped her hands around her face and peered inside. The lights were on, but there was no one in sight. As she picked the bag up off the ground, she noticed the hours of operation on the door read six a.m. to six thirty p.m. Glancing at her watch and seeing that it was already after seven, she briefly panicked before recalling Mr. Flutie say that his wife was working late. Willow knocked several times, but still no one appeared. She was about to give up and run to a nearby gas station to relieve herself when she noticed a door bell button on the other side of the key pad. _Durrr! Gosh Willow, maybe you should get a first class seat on the clue train once in awhile._ Chastising herself inwardly as she pushed the button several times.

Less than a minute later a middle aged woman appeared from the back carrying an infant. She opened the door and smiled widely, "Sorry hun, have you been waiting long?"

"No ma'am, just a minute or so. Oh! I um, I brought you this from Mr. Flutie, your husband...but I guess you already know that..." Willow babbled as she held up the bag before placing it on the counter. Her nerves getting the best of her as she was completely distracted by the adorable blonde haired baby that was smiling at her with bright blue eyes.

The woman chuckled, "You must be Willow, Bob's told me all about you. He said you're the best thing to happen to the drive thru and the condiment racks in years!"

"Uh, thank you," The blushing redhead replied, "I guess my reputation proceeds me...wow, she is adorable!" Willow said suddenly switching gears. "Hi Sweetie, what's your name?" The little girl laughed and cooed when Willow smiled and lightly touched her hand.

"This is Chelsea! Her Mommy is a little late picking her up tonight." Mrs. Flutie replied.

Willow grinned again, "Well hi there Chelsea, I'm Willow," She introduced herself as the happy little baby grabbed her finger. "Oh, look at that, she's shaking my hand! Gosh, she's so beautiful and look at those eyes. They're so bright and shiny and...blue."

The phone rang suddenly and Mrs. Flutie turned to Willow, "Can you take her while I answer that? It's probably her mommy."

"Sure," Willow nodded as the little girl slid into her arms without protest. Having been safely transferred, Willow snuggled the tiny blonde to her chest; instinctively placing a kiss on her downy soft hair and inhaling the sweet baby scent. The little girl responded with a giggle and began to bounce playfully.

"Yep, that was her Mom, running late, but should be here soon," Mrs. Flutie announced to no one in particular. "Willow, would you mind holding her for a few minutes? I'm simply starving!"

"Oh, no problem," Willow answered delightedly, bouncing the baby on her hip. She was more than happy to continue holding and playing with baby Chelsea.

After a few minutes, Willow sat down on the lobby couch and placed Chelsea on her knee. She lightly tickled her tummy and as Chelsea grew more and more excited, she began kicking her feet wildly. That was when Willow remembered she needed to use the restroom. As soon as Chelsea's foot came in contact with her bladder, Willow jumped up off the couch, handing the baby back to Mrs. Flutie and excusing herself to the restroom.

Several minutes later, after having finished her business, Willow emerged from the restroom into a small hallway and as she approached the lobby she heard Mrs. Flutie and another female voice. A voice that sounded oddly familiar. Willow crept silently forward and peered around the corner. The newcomer had her back to Willow and was cradling Chelsea protectively in her arms. _Must be the mother. Humph, strange outfit. What parent dresses like a teenager?_ Willow thought as she continued her clandestine maneuvers. The women continued talking, but Willow was too far to hear them clearly, so she waited until no one was looking and quickly moved behind an outer wall in the lobby; it was closer and she could hear better while still going unseen.

As she stood with her back pressed tightly against the wall, the conversation was now coming in loud and clear.

"...I just changed and fed her a snack a short while ago, it should last for the drive home, but I'm sure she'll be hungry in no time at all." Mrs. Flutie said.

"Thank you so much Mrs. Flutie and again, I am s-so sorry I'm late. I promise, it won't happen again." The young woman replied.

Willow's brow furrowed and then it hit her, the baby's blonde hair, the blue eyes, the outfit...

"_Tara?_"


	5. Chapter 5

**Dirty Tube Socks: MEOW! Yep, the cat's out and there's no putting it back. I'm not giving anything away on the father, so you'll just have to keep reading and no body parts, lol. This is angst teen drama, but I'm sure all will turn out well:)** **Thanks for the feedback!**

**SonyaG: My biggest fan...I heart you!**

**Goddess Enyo: No worries, I get what you're saying. Anya is not meant to take Buffy's place, she simply happened to be the new girl and not Buffy. Thus ending up with her lines:)**

**Anyway, it was fun watching you all try to guess what the 'baby' in the title was. Now it's going to be fun seeing how you all react to what Willow plans on doing with her new found knowledge. Thanks for the feedback!**

**Errik's angel: HA! Yeah, that would have been fun seeing Tara nearly faint at the sight of Willow holding her baby, lol. But Willow has bigger plans and they unfold in the next chapter. Thanks for the feedback!**

**Missocki: Y.E.S. lol **

* * *

_**Chapter 5**_

Willow immediately slapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes grew wide as she shrank further back against the wall, in fear that she would be caught snooping. Once she was sure they hadn't noticed, she crept forward again and continued to eavesdrop on the conversation.

Mrs. Flutie sighed, "Tara, I understand your situation, I do, but rules are rules. This is the third time this month and I'm afraid Chelsea will no longer be able to attend this day care."

"But Mrs. Flutie!" Tara protested, "Please, I-I...this is the only day care in town! You can't...I have school and my mom has to work. What am I supposed to do?"

Mrs. Flutie's eyes held a great deal of sympathy for the high school student, but she held fast to her decision. "I'm sorry, but if I allow it to happen with one child, then everyone would expect the same treatment and that wouldn't be fair."

Tara looked up with tears in her eyes, "I _promise_, it w-won't happen again, ever."

"That's what you said the last time and the time before that and the two times before that. I'm sorry Tara." Mrs. Flutie reached into her sweater pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper and put it in Chelsea's diaper bag, "Here, I made a list of several nanny's that may be able to help you."

"Okay, thank you." The blonde mumbled, virtually inaudible as she turned and headed out the door.

Willow was stunned silent, still with her hand on her mouth and still penned to the wall. Her head was spinning as she silently watched the blonde cheerleader load her infant daughter into the maroon Honda Civic.

As Tara pulled away, the stealthy redhead darted back towards the restroom, opened the door and closed it; as if just exiting for the first time. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and re-emerged into the lobby, making a beeline for the exit.

"Willow!" Mrs. Flutie called out, "Thanks again for dropping off my dinner."

Willow turned and smiled, "It's no problem, anytime. Bye Mrs. Flutie!"

"Bye-bye dear, be safe!"

Willow took off down the street towards her house. She walked for several blocks, totally lost in thought and when she finally looked up, she was genuinely confused. Realizing that she'd walked right past her house, the redhead turned and marched back down the sidewalk; her body feeling heavier with the weight of this new information.

A thousand and one questions had formed in Willow's inquisitive mind. _How was this possible? Who was the father? Where was the father? Do Cordelia, Buffy and Harmony know? Surly they can't, there's no way that group of ding dongs could keep a secret this big. Oh God, can I keep a secret this big? Should I?_ How was it that Tara Maclay had a child and no one knew? Willow was truly puzzled.

* * *

Willow spent most of the evening snooping around online and trying to find out anything she could about Tara. She crept around the blonde's Facebook page and those of her friends. Willow found several photo's of Tara's '_little sister_,' quickly figuring out how Tara kept Chelsea secret. Then, just for good measure, Willow hacked into the school computer and accessed Tara's file, which told her even less.

By the next day, Willow was still flummoxed, contemplating exactly how she could use this new information to her advantage; so far she'd come up with nothing. Her first instinct, had been to post it online, but nixed that idea when she realized that it would just ruin Tara and do nothing to stop the jocks or Cordelia from their seemingly endless taunts. It was all she could do not to mention it to Xander or Jesse, but she knew deep down the two of them were just too immature to be trusted with such sensitive information. As she entered the computer lab, she finally decided to give up on it for awhile and focus on her science project. She got comfortable at her favorite terminal and began her science project research as the other students worked on their programming assignment; the one Willow had finished five minutes after it had been assigned over a week ago.

About twenty minutes had passed and everyone was working diligently except for Cordelia and Harmony, whose constant chatting and complaining were making Willow crazy.

"No! It's supposed to find the syntax and match it. Or, wait..." Cordelia complained.

Harmony, who was slowly typing with her index fingers, trying not to break a nail, changed the subject. "Are we going to the Bronze tonight?" The dingy bottle blonde asked.

"No, we're going to the other cool place in Sunnydale," Cordelia answered sarcastically.

Harmony looked at Cordelia as if she had three heads, "Huh?"

"Of course we're going to the Bronze! Friday night, no cover. But you should have been there last night."

Harmony pointed at the computer screen, "Uh, I think we did this part wrong."

"Why do we have to devise these programs? Isn't that what nerds are for?" Cordelia looked past Harmony and nodded towards Willow, "What's she doing?"

Harmony craned her neck to see Willow's computer screen, which currently had a big photo of a fruit fly on it. "Uh, she's doing something else."

Suddenly Cordelia began to hit the enter button on her keyboard, "Okay, and then 'Pattern Run.' Or 'Go To End.' That's it."

"Maybe...I think..." Harmony said.

"Well, what does the book say?" Harmony shrugged her shoulders and Cordelia continued, "So anyway, I come out of the bathroom and Anya comes running at me with a pool stick, screaming, 'I'm gonna eviscerate you if you ever go near Xander again!' I swear."

"Wow, what's her deal?" Harmony asked.

"She's crazed, a real psycho-loony."

Willow couldn't take it any longer and finally spoke up, "No, she's not."

Cordelia and Harmony just stared blankly at Willow for several seconds as it registered with Cordy that Willow had butted into their conversation. "What?" She finally asked indigently.

"She's not a psycho. You hardly even know her." Their constant gossiping was grating on Willow's last nerve. She wasn't Anya's biggest fan, but had taken a slight liking to her since the tutoring started. She was enjoying having another girl in the group, even if she sorta was 'the competition.'

"Excuse me? Who gave you permission to exist? Do I

horn in on your private discussions? No. Why?

Because you're boring."

Willow wasn't sure why she allowed Cordelia to get to her, but she did and the girl's words hurt. Willow grabbed her back pack and headed to the printer to pick up her work as the girls turned back to their projects.

"There, I think the program is done," Harmony said.

"Finally, the nightmare ends. Now how do we save it?" Cordelia asked.

As Willow exited the classroom, she made eye contact with Cordelia, "Deliver."

Cordelia looked back to her monitor and then down to the keyboard, "Deliver...where is that...oh, here it is!" The head cheerleader proclaimed triumphantly as she pressed the 'DEL' key causing the entire program on both hers and Harmony's monitors to disappear.

Willow looked back over her shoulder and snickered as both girls stared in disbelief at the computer screens. She was sick and tired of the constant bullying, it was her turn for retribution and as she walked away...a plan began to form.

* * *

Willow took advantage of the weekend and spent the next two days plotting, reviewing and revising. She wrote everything down, highlighting points with different colored pens, listing pros and cons as well as all the variables. She'd wracked her brain trying to come up with every possible scenario and wrote out a list of possible questions, complete with answers. She then wrote an outline and committed it to memory. It was a lot of work with hopefully a very big payoff. Monday she would put her plan into action, it was devious and un-Willow like and she was nervous. She told no one, avoided her friends and laid low all day until it was time.

Willow spent her early release time in the library until the school had cleared out, making sure Xander, Jesse and Anya were long gone before venturing out. She snuck down to the gym and peeked inside, making sure Tara was at cheerleading practice. Spotting the blonde immediately, Willow crept out and made her way to the school parking lot to lay in wait for her victim. She found Tara's Honda easily, pulled out a book and made herself at home on the car's hood.

* * *

Cheerleading practice had droned on for what seemed like forever to Tara. She was continuously checking her watch, a repetitive action which finally pushed Cordelia over the edge.

"Geez Tara, preoccupied much? You have some place better to be?"

"Oh, sorry Cordy. I just...my mom has to work tonight and I have to take care of my little sister." Tara answered the annoyed head cheerleader.

"Ever heard of a baby sitter?" Cordelia instantly shot back.

Tara sighed deeply and simply stared at Cordelia, glancing at her watch once again, "Sorry, I have to go. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Fine. Go. Whatever." Cordelia spat as Tara jogged over to the bleachers to retrieve her bag as she headed out the door to her car.

As she approached her car, she noticed the redhead sitting on the hood. Tara eyed her curiously, "Um, what do you think you're doing?"

Willow took a deep breath, looking up and raised the book in her hand, "Reading?"

Tara was now officially annoyed, "What do you want Willow? I'm in a hurry, and get your ass off my car."

Willow clicked her tongue rhythmically as she slid off the hood and dropped the book in her smily face back pack. "Geez, a little testy aren't we?"

Tara rolled her eyes as she opened the backdoor and tossed her gym bag inside, "Like I said, I'm in a hurry."

"Hmmm, in a rush to get home and see your daughter, huh?" Willow's expression stayed steady and Tara froze. _BAM!_ Willow hi-fived herself internally.

Tara's head slowly turned, the confusion swimming in Tara's eyes. "What did you say?" Tara hissed.

Willow swallowed hard, but held her ground when she saw Tara's eyes narrow, "You know, your daughter. Blonde hair, blue eyes, about yay big and goes by the name of Chelsea?"

"You don't know what you're talking about Willow. Don't you have some nerdy math competition to go to or something?" Tara's attempts to distract Willow failed as the redhead continued to prod the cheerleader.

"Nope, not at the moment, and I know exactly what I'm talking about and so do you. You have a child and you've been lying to your friends. Did you really think you could keep this a secret?" Tara said nothing, fidgeting nervously as Willow continued, "Wow, just wait until everyone finds out!" Willow laughed, but the laughter ended quickly as Tara suddenly began marching in Willow's direction; backing her into the neighboring car.

"You listen to me Willow Rosenberg and you listen good, because I'm only gonna say this once." Willow cringed, Tara was literally in her face and poking her shoulder. "You leave Chelsea out of this. She's a sweet, innocent little baby and if you do _anything_ to put her at risk, I'll.."

"You'll what?" Willow said defiantly.

"Don't push me Willow."

Willow looked Tara right in the eye, which wasn't hard since the blonde was mere inches from her face, "I don't seem to be the one that's currently pushing."

A look of realization crossed Tara's face and she backed off. "So you know, big deal. You can't _prove_ anything."

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "I don't have to. All I have to do is put it out there and those brainless friends of yours will drop you like a hot potato. They won't want to damage their _precious_ reputations and let's face it, neither do you."

"I don't care about any of that."

"Oh, really? Then why do you keep Chelsea under wraps? Why do you lie and say she's your _sister?_ Why?Because you're spineless and shallow and you would rather be a cheerleader than a proper parent." Willow was quite stunned, she couldn't believe the hurtful things she was saying and neither could Tara.

The blonde stood stock still with her mouth half open and at a complete loss for words; tears shining in her deep blue eyes as Willow continued. "The way I see it Tara, you have a big problem. You have the girl that you and your friends have bullied relentlessly standing in front of you holding the key to your high school existence."

"I never bullied you," Tara said calmly.

"Oh really? Are you kidding...you are kidding, right? _You have to know your losers so you can avoid them..._ring a bell? Not to mention that crack about my clothes, great example you're setting for your daughter. You are not a nice person Tara."

Tara wrapped her arms around her chest and hung her head. She didn't think Willow had heard her talking to Anya that day at the water fountain. Willow's words cut. She'd never thought of herself as a mean person before. She was a Mom, she had a child. _She doesn't know what she's talking about; she doesn't even know me!_ Tara told herself.

"So what, you're gonna go home and post it on Facebook or something?" Tara asked meekly.

Willow shook her head, "No, I'm not going to tell anyone...on one condition." Tara' cocked her head in curiosity. "You're gonna get Cordy, the rest of the Cordettes _and_ the jocks to stop picking on me and my friends. You're gonna get them _all_ to play nice in the sandbox."

"So, you're black mailing me?" Tara asked incredulously.

Willow nodded, "Ummm yeah, pretty much."

"How in the hell am I supposed to do that? I can't control what they say and do!"

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "Don't know, don't care. That's your problem, not mine."

Tara bit her bottom lip in concentration, "Fine, give me a week. I'll talk to Cordy and the rest of the girls and see what I can do, but I can't make any promises with the boys. They do their own thing and besides, after that incident with Xander, I doubt they'll give you any more problems."

"Fine, one week Tara, that's it."

"Fine." With that, Tara climbed in her car as Willow turned and walked away.


	6. Chapter 6

**Dirty Tube Socks: Hold it together! lol Eventually there will be more information from Tara, but you're gonna have to be patient. :**-) Thanks for the feedback!

**Jeldaly: Awww...thank you! That was very sweet and if you know any book editors, send them my way. :p Yeah, Willow... Thanks for the feedback!**

**Errik's Angel: Willow has been fairly passive, but she also didn't have anything she thought she could use against them either. Xander had all the ideas, but they were far too destructive and there was no way Willow would be involved with that. Willow also knows, that for girls, having something over them will get you much further than super glueing lockers. Yep, they are miles apart, but things are about to change:) Thanks for your awesome feedback!**

**Missocki: Tara wasn't trying, but she is culpable. We'll have to wait and see what happens next! Thanks for the feedback!**

Chapter 6

The school week was coming to an end and Willow had still not heard a word from Tara. They'd passed several times in the hall, but had basically ignored each other. The week had been fairly uneventful and Willow couldn't tell from Cordelia's behavior if Tara had gotten through to her or if this was just a lull. There were no notes in her locker and no friendly nods; nothing to indicate that Tara had taken Willow seriously. Willow was beginning to wonder if Tara was trying to call her bluff, and the thought made her physically ill. She didn't _really_ want to put the information out there.

As the days passed, Willow had become less angry and realized just how uncomfortable she was doing what she was doing. She wasn't a mean person by nature and she was finding it very difficult to be so calculating. In the beginning her anger had driven her, but now her conscience was taking over.

Deep down Willow knew threatening someone and using their child against them was wrong. The last thing Willow wanted to do was put a baby at risk, especially for her own gain, and she'd beat herself up quite a bit throughout the week.

She'd also eased a little more in regards to Tara's parenting skills. She realized that she'd been quick to judge and tried to imagine herself as a teen parent. Maybe Tara was just trying to get by the only way she knew how and survive high school like everyone else, but the devil on her shoulder reminded Willow that Tara had gone willingly into the fold. No one was forcing her to be friends with Queen 'C' and no one forced her to say those mean things that day at the water fountain. Tara was one of the [i]nicer[/i] ones in the group, but it didn't make her any less guilty.

The lunch bell rang and Willow shook her head. _Too much thinking!_ She grabbed her things and headed out to the commons to meet her friends. As she exited the building the bright California sun blinded her and she squinted her eyes sharply. When they finally adjusted, she saw Tara sitting on their lunch bench, looking nervous.

"Hey," Willow said with a little wave.

"Hey," Tara returned the greeting with a slight smile.

An awkward silence fell over them as Willow took a seat next to the cheerleader.

"So um, I just wanted to let you kn-know that I kept m-my end of the bargain and I talked to Cordy." The blonde looked anxious and Willow wondered, _Since when does Tara stutter?_

"Oh, okay. What did you tell her?"

"Well, it took me a few days, but I finally came up with something and she pretty much bought it." Willow nodded, allowing Tara to continue. "I um, I told her that I was flunking computer class and that I needed you to help me get a passing grade. She agreed to lay off since she and Harmony both have D's in the class. She knows there's no way you'd help her, so I guess she thinks she can absorb the information vicariously through me to help her own grades."

"Are you?" Willow asked.

"What?"

"Flunking computer class?"

Tara snickered, "No, it's not my best subject, but at least I know what the 'DEL' key does." Willow's eyes widened and Tara shot her a knowing smile.

Willow's face grew flushed, "I know I shouldn't have done that. I'm seldom naughty, but I couldn't help it. She was just so...so-"

"Cordelia?" The blonde interrupted with a smirk firmly planted across her face, "Yeah, I know how she can be. Anyway, she promised to mind her manners and whatever she does, Harmony and Buffy will follow."

"And the jocks?"

Tara cast her eyes down, "I r-really don't know what I can do. I asked Cordelia to talk to them, since she knows them better, but..."

"It's okay, that one was a stretch anyway. I'll just be happy to be left alone and not get picked on so much. Maybe now I won't have to walk the long way to all my classes and I can eat in the cafeteria without getting my food dumped." Willow said with a sigh of relief.

Tara's face dropped. In the past week she'd had time to do a lot of thinking. She'd never really thought about what the taunting was doing to Willow and how much it affected her.

Two nights after their heated exchange in the parking lot, Tara was putting Chelsea to bed and the question hit her, hard. _What if it was Chelsea that was being bullied?_ That was when the full extent of what they'd been doing really hit home. Willow was an innocent, had done nothing wrong and that was when she decided that she _wanted_ to make things better for the redhead.

"So anyway, I...I just wanted to let you know and I n-need to get going," Tara said suddenly as she rose and began to walk away, "I'll see ya."

"Yeah, bye." Willow whispered, her head was spinning. She never thought in a million years that the girl would come through for her. Willow rested her hand on the bench to steady herself and felt something underneath it. "Hey, your book!" She grabbed the math book and jumped off the bench to run it to Tara, but the blonde had already disappeared. She placed the book in her backpack just as her friends approached, chatting away and plopping down with their lunches.

* * *

Willow was exhausted, as she sat cross legged in the middle of her bed on Sunday afternoon. After working a ten hour shift at the Doublemeat on Friday, she'd gotten up early for Temple Saturday and then spent the rest of the day with her parents. She was happy to finally have some time to herself.

Willow leaned over the side of her bed and grabbed her smiley face backpack. As she pulled it open she immediately scrunched her face, "Ugh, what is that smell? I guess it's time to clean you out." She mumbled.

Willow turned the pack upside down and dumped the contents on to the bed. "Ewwwww," She grimaced, as she gingerly picked up a rotten banana peel between her thumb and index fingers and tossed it into the waste basket. She began to sort everything into separate piles. Books, papers, pens and old grimy gummy bears littered her bed, as well as a book that didn't belong. She'd all but forgotten about Tara's wayward Algebra book.

She examined the book reverently, as if it were an ancient text. Willow hadn't seen an Algebra book since having taken the class back in Junior High; her mind these days being filled with AP Calculus instead. As she turned the book over and flipped through the frayed pages, she came across a number of sticky notes. The more she flipped, the more she began to see a pattern.

The blue notes seemed to be general statements, the yellow were questions, the green were things that were understood and the hot pink were things Tara just wasn't getting and there seemed to be a lot of pink notes. Willow read through them and picked up immediately on what the blonde wasn't understanding. She smiled to herself, admiring Tara's organizational system, as she too enjoyed making colorized systems.

As the redhead flipped to the last noted page and her eyes grew wide. _Test Monday...STUDY!_ "Crap." Willow muttered as she pulled herself off the bed and got dressed.

* * *

Less than an hour later Willow found herself standing nervously outside Tara's front door. She fidgeted and bounced anxiously from foot to foot as she wiped a sweaty palm on her shorts before finally getting up the nerve and rapping her knuckles on the door.

A few seconds later the door opened and Tara appeared in an old tee-shirt and a pair of gym shorts, looking tired and disheveled. Her hair was partially tied in a loose pony tail and there were dark circles surrounding her eyes.

"Willow? Hey..." She said quizzically as she tried in vain to wipe several loose strands of hair out of her face.

"Hey, I uh, I guess you're wondering what I'm doing on your doorstep and on a Sunday no less, but um, you left this on the bench last Friday, and I noticed that you mentioned a test tomorrow and I thought you might need it, not that I was snooping or anything, a-and I did try to find you at school but I couldn't and well, I was busy the last two days and-"

Willow's babble was interrupted by an ear splitting scream coming from inside the house. Tara, who had been desperately trying to keep up with Willow's endless stream of words, sighed deeply and looked as if she was about to cry.

"Sorry, I have to..." She said as she motioned towards the living room, "Um, just...come in. I need to get the baby."

Tara turned, leaving the front door open for Willow and made her way into the living room, where her daughter sat red faced and screaming in her playpen.

"Shhhh sweetie, please..." Tara said soothingly as she reached in and picked up the infant.

Willow followed her in. She closed the door and stood off to the side, as she watched the tenuous interaction between Tara and her daughter. The blonde bounced the infant lightly and tried to get her to take a pacifier, but the baby continued to wail.

Willow's eyebrows knitted together in concern, "Is she okay?"

"Teething." Tara replied flatly.

Willow suddenly had an idea, "Where's the kitchen?" She asked as Tara answered wordlessly by just pointing her finger in the opposite direction.

Willow disappeared and returned a minute later holding an orange popsicle. "May I?" She asked motioning towards the screeching child. Tara simply nodded and handed Chelsea over to the redhead.

"Hey, what's with all the big noise from such a little girl." Willow said as she gently eased the sweet treat into the baby's mouth; stopping the crying almost immediately as she began to suck and gnaw on the frozen pop. Willow looked up at Tara and smiled widely.

Tara stared back and a frown began to form as she plopped down on the sofa with her head in her hands and burst into tears.

Willow was stunned and not really sure what to do. Especially since she was holding an infant and a popsicle and trying to balance the two.

She came around the coffee table and sat down next to Tara. "Hey, it's okay. Tara, please don't...do you want me to get you a popsicle too?"

Tara was still sobbing, but started to laugh at Willow's question and seeing the innocent, hopeful look on the redhead's face, Tara couldn't help but smile.

"Are you okay?" Willow asked.

Tara nodded as she wiped the tears off her cheeks, "Yeah, I...I just...I'm a terrible mother!" She blurted out, ushering in another round of sobs.

"Oh Tara, no you're not. Why would you say that?"

"Because, I've been trying to get her calmed down since four o'clock this morning and you're here for two minutes and...and...I'm just so tired," Tara whined.

Willow somehow managed to balance the baby on her knee and hold the pop with one hand as she grabbed some tissues and handed them to Tara with the other. "I-it was just dumb luck, really. I don't know all that much about babies, I just happen to catch a story online and I remembered...why don't you lay back and calm down a little."

Tara nodded, leaning to the side and resting her head on the sofa pillows. She looked awkward and uncomfortable, so Willow stood with Chelsea; allowing Tara to lift her legs onto the couch.

Willow sat on a chair opposite the blonde, watching as Tara snuggled with the pillow and began to relax. Tara's breathing evened out and within minutes, she was sound asleep.

Willow turned and kissed Chelsea on the top of her head. "Well, I guess it's just you and me kid. Looks like your Mommy's down for the count." She whispered as she sat back in the chair and watched Tara sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Jeldaly: I love humble beginnings too:) Anyway...patience, patience...**

**Dirty Tube Socks: Glad to see you calmed since the last update, lol. BTW, I love your avatar, I hope the movie get a big release. Regardless of the plot, if Amber's in it, I'll go see it.**

**The banana peel came from Dopplegangland when Willow eats the banana and "Lunchtime be damned!" One of my favorite 'naughty' Willow scenes. **

**They are a pretty cute family, aren't they?**

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey everyone and Happy Football Sunday! In this chapter I reference the book, 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?' by Eric Carle and Bill Martin, Jr. If you have a toddler or know someone who does, this book is awesome! My daughter loved it and by the time she was 2 had is pretty much memorized. Anyway, enjoy:)**

* * *

_**Chapter 7**_

The whole situation was odd, to say the least, and Willow was perplexed. She'd stopped by to drop off a book and here she was, left to her own devices in one of her arch rivals homes, and with the girl's infant daughter no less. She thought about waking the slumbering blonde, but Tara looked so peaceful that she just couldn't bring herself do it. _Why should you be so nice to Tara? She doesn't deserve it after the way she treated you._ A little voice inside her head chimed in. After all, if the tables were turned, she wondered if Tara would do the same for her. Then Willow looked down at Chelsea, still happily gnawing away at the rapidly melting pop and she knew _why_.

"Geez, you're making a big mess kiddo. Come on, let's get you changed." Willow whispered, taking the baby upstairs to get her changed and cleaned up.

Even though Willow had never been in Tara's house before today, she found Chelsea's room easily; there was a large, plush 'C' that hung on the front of her bedroom door. Willow entered the nursery and was immediately impressed. The furniture was simple and looked worn, but it was the hand painted wall murals that caught Willow's eye.

"Wow," Willow breathed, examining the paintings closely.

Two entire walls were painted from top to bottom depicting jungle scenes complete with dancing blue elephants and purple hippos with cute brown monkeys frolicking in the trees. It was a true work of art.

"Well, Miss Chelsea, I think you have just about the most adorable room in the entire world." Willow said out loud.

She laid Chelsea on the animal clad changing table and began undressing the sticky infant. The baby babbled and sucked on her hand and when Willow was finally able to wrestle her clothes off, the tiny blonde began kicking her feet wildly and giggling.

"Oh, now you're all happy and playful. Aww, look at that adorable little belly!" Willow said as she leaned in and blew on Chelsea's belly, causing shrieks of laughter. "Oh, you like that huh? Well, there's more where that came from!" Willow continued her assault on Chelsea's belly until she and the baby began to grow tired. "Time to get you changed and hopefully you'll take a little nap too. No more of that crazy crying baby routine, okay?"

As Willow began to unhinge the diaper, she realized that she'd never changed a baby before. _Well, it can't be too difficult, can it?_ She opened the diaper and was hit with a wall of stink.

"Holy crap...literally! It's...it's green and yellow and ewwww-y and dear Lord, what is your mommy feeding you?!" Willow immediately closed the diaper. She was officially horrified by what she was seeing and smelling. "How can so much come out of something so little? It's in your...and up your...and I have to clean all that out?"

She kept a hand on Chelsea, terrified that she would roll off the changing table, as she searched for something to wipe her with. _I should've brought a hazmat suit, because this is just...unpleasant._ She finally found a box of wipes, a clean diaper and the talcum powder on a lower shelf. After pulling out several baby wipes, she re-opened the diaper and simply stared without a clue what to do next. _Okay, wipe down. That's what girls are supposed to do and you're a girl, right?_ Willow's internal babble continued as she tried to clean Chelsea to the best of her ability.

Fifteen minutes and several dozen wipes later, Willow declared victory. Chelsea was officially clean and in a fresh diaper, which was more than could be said for Willow. It had been a well fought battle, but not without a surprise attack from the talcum powder, which was now covering much of the redhead's upper body.

"Okay, so where's your clothes? Ah, the dresser! How about we put you in something sleepy and you take a little nap?" Chelsea seemed enamored with her new redheaded friend; cooing and laughing as Willow babbled.

Willow sat Chelsea in her crib and searched the dresser for a sleeper. Finding the cutest one possible, a little pink snap up number covered with puppies. After several minutes of fumbling and the infant kicking wildly, she finally managed to get the youngster in and all snapped up. She laid the little girl in her crib and turned on the crib aquarium that was strapped to the railing.

"Success! Yay! Go Willow, it's you're birthday..." Willow sang as she danced in a circle, proud of her accomplishment. "How about I get you a bottle? I'll be right back!" Willow exclaimed, hoping beyond hope to find a ready-made bottle in the fridge.

Luckily for her, Tara was organized and there were several waiting bottles. Willow smiled and once again, admired Tara's preparedness. She ran the bottle under hot water from the tap and returned to Chelsea, who was lying on her side and happily playing with the activity panel on the opposite side of the crib.

Willow picked her up and settled in the glider chair, getting all snuggly and feeding Chelsea the bottle. Willow watched in awe as the little girl gripped and released Willow's fingers and picked at the side of the bottle with her tiny finger nails; staring up at Willow with bright blue eyes.

"Wow, you're so beautiful. Just like your Mo-" Willow stopped abruptly, panicked, as her eyes darted about. _Well, she is...I mean girls can notice other girls are pretty. There's a lot of girls I think are pretty. That's okay, right? Sure it is._

As Chelsea began to doze off, Willow reminded herself that she and Tara were _not_ friends, in any sense of the word. After all, she was currently blackmailing the blonde and besides, Tara thought she was a complete loser. No, they were definitely _not_ friends.

* * *

Several hours later, Tara began to stir and lazily stretched her arms above her head. She yawned and smiled, completely relaxed until a single thought passed through her mind. "Chelsea!" She exclaimed out loud as she leapt off the couch; frantically searching the room for her infant daughter. The house was still and Tara was beginning to panic. She ran to the playpen, but there was no sign of the little girl. It was then that she noticed the Algebra book on the coffee table and her pre-nap memory began to return. _Willow.._. She remembered the crying baby, the Popsicle, then her crying, lying down and then nothing until two minutes ago.

Tara began to search the downstairs. _Surely she would have left a note if she took her somewhere, but why would they leave?_ Tara opened the fridge and noticed two bottles were missing and glancing around the rest of the kitchen, she saw an empty bottle that was washed and upside down in the dish rack. It was then that she heard the familiar thump of someone walking around upstairs and she finally allowed herself to calm down.

As she ascended the stairs she could hear Willow talking and when she peeked through the slightly open door, she saw Willow in the glider chair with Chelsea snuggled against her chest, reading her a book while the baby sucked ferociously on her pacifier. It was one of the sweetest things Tara had ever seen.

"Brown bear, brown bear what do you see? I see a red bird looking at me. Red bird, red bird what do you see? I see a yellow duck looking at me. Yellow, duck, yellow duck what do you see? I see a blue horse looking at me. Blue horse, blue horse what do you see? I see a green frog...okay, we're gonna skip that one because your friend Willow does not like green frogs or any frogs for that matter." Chelsea's eyes were trained intently on Willow as the redhead continued her anti-frog rant. "You'll understand when you get older and a boy puts one down your pants. I think they should all be gathered up and taken to live on an island somewhere far, far away. See, it's because they're all hoppy and slimy and..." Her voice trailed off as she heard soft giggling coming from the hall. Looking up, she saw the blonde leaning in the doorway and covering her mouth with her hand; trying to stifle full blown laughter.

"Hey, how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to hear your proposed plan for the expulsion of hoppy green amphibians." Tara smirked.

"Well, they serve no other purpose except to terrify little girls." Willow looked at Tara with her best resolve face; completely serious.

Tara laughed again, amused by the strident look on Willow's face...all over seeing a water color picture of a frog in a children's book. She padded across the room and held her arms out to Chelsea. "Hey, there's my little girl!" She exclaimed happily as the child responded in turn by stretching out her little arms as well.

Willow stood, lifting the baby into her mother's waiting arms and feeling a twang of sadness wash through her. She didn't want to admit it consciously, but she was completely smitten with the sweet little girl.

"Did you have fun playing with Willow today?" Tara asked rhetorically, not expecting an answer from an infant. She then turned her attention to the temporary babysitter, "Thank you Willow," She said and receiving a nod in return, "Seriously, you...you didn't have to stay. Especially after how I...anyway, I-I really appreciate it."

Willow simply continued to nod, not really knowing what to say and feeling nervous under the gaze of Tara's intense cobalt blue eyes. "Your welcome," She replied softly, her bright green eyes locked on Tara's.

They continued to stare at each other, neither one willing to break the moment as they both wondered what was going on. The world seemed to fade away as the seconds ticked by silently. Willow wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed and she began to feel incredibly awkward. She blinked suddenly, looking downward and broke the spell. "I um, I got her all cleaned up and fed her a couple bottles. She napped for about ninety minutes and I also changed her...twice."

"I see that," Tara said, with an amused smile on her face as she reached out to Willow's shoulder and brushed away some of the remaining white talcum powder.

"Oh, sorry. I um, I think your talcum powder dispenser is slightly defective. It attacked me...twice and without provocation!"

"Hmm, did you squeeze it? Maybe it was self defense?" The blonde teased with a twinkle in her eye.

Willow returned the smile, playing along, "Well, I was sorta rough on it. Maybe next time I'll use a kinder and gentler approach."

"Next time?" Tara asked.

Willow laughed nervously, fidgeting with her fingers and realizing she'd backed herself into a corner. "Oh yeah...well...you know, if you ever need a baby sitter or anything..."

"I thought you already had a job?"

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "I'm only part time, plus I'm trying to save for a car. So, every little bit counts."

Tara nodded in understanding. "I will...keep y-you in mind, that is...if I ever n-need anyone."

_There it is again. It's kind of a nervous stutter. Do I bring it out of her? Do I make her nervous?_

"Anyway," Willow said, breaking her mind babble, "I need to get going. I told my Mom I'd be gone about thirty minutes and well, it's been a little longer than that."

Tara's forehead creased in concern, "I'm sorry. Are you gonna be in trouble?"

"Oh, no. I called her earlier and told her I'd be late. She's fine with it as long as I check in every so often. You know how parents are..."

Tara smiled, "Yeah...um, thanks again Willow. I guess I owe you, huh?"

"No, it was a pleasure, really. She's uh, she's really special. You're very lucky." Willow replied softly as she ran a hand over Chelsea's baby soft blonde hair and reverently placed a kiss atop her head.

Tara was at a loss; here was this girl, that she'd been absolutely horrible to, showing a side that Tara had never seen before. An incredibly sweet and nurturing side.

As Tara watched the tender interaction, she realized that she didn't know anything about the girl, she'd never seen any side other than 'revenge seeking Willow.' Maybe because she'd never taken the time to actually look; she'd jumped on Cordelia's band wagon, taunting and embarrassing the poor girl for no apparent reason. Tara was having feelings that she'd never experienced before, feelings of guilt. Big heaping truckloads of guilt. In that moment of Willow's pure honesty, every mean spirited thing that Tara had ever said or done came crashing down on her. She wasn't sure if she should scream, cry, apologize, or just beg for Willow's forgiveness.

In the end, she did none of those things, having been too much of a coward to voice her true feelings. She simply smiled, nodded and walked Willow out.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Dirty Tube**_** Socks:**** The father is...Darth Vader! Ahahahahahahah! "Chelsea, I am your father." Guess who's gonna have to wait to find out?**

**_Boris Yelstin:_ Welcome to the party!**

**Thanks to everyone else leaving comments. They are always ****appreciated:)**

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

In the weeks that followed, Willow and the entire gang couldn't have been happier. The jocks were leaving Xander alone, under threat of death from their coaches and he'd managed achieved a low level of popularity with his pirate-like eye patch. In fact, his doctors had given him the okay to remove it, but he continued to wear it to school anyway.

Willow's life at school had also improved as the Cordettes hardly acknowledged her existence anymore. All except for Tara who, when no one was looking, would catch Willow's eye in the halls and smile or throw the redhead a little wave.

Things had definitely changed between Willow and Tara and there was a sort of tactic understanding between the girls. Not only did they share a secret, but they'd shared an experience together that changed them both. They didn't know it at the time, but that afternoon together was a turning point. Willow had seen a more sensitive, human side of the blonde and Tara saw how responsible and sweet Willow could be. Each girl came away from the experience with a newfound respect for the other.

The girls weren't exactly friends and they weren't exactly enemies anymore either. They were somewhere in between, more like _frienemies_. They each had their own lives, their own set of friends, but occasionally they're very different lives would converge. So far, those convergences had resulted in something friendly of something combative.

It was these peculiar interactions that led Willow to err on the side of their _non-friendship_, which is why she was shocked when Tara showed up unexpectedly during one of her shifts at the Doublemeat.

"Hey Red!" Marcie called out towards the back of the kitchen, "You have a visitor."

A bewildered look crept across Willow's face as she walked up next to the shift manager, "Who is it?" She asked curiously.

Marcie shrugged her shoulders, "Dunno, but the only way you'll find out is if you go up there and see," She said as she gently pushed Willow in the direction of the lobby.

Tara paced nervously in the lobby with Chelsea on her hip, and a diaper bag slung over her other shoulder; still contemplating a run in the opposite direction. She wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing, but she had to try.

"Tara? Hey..." Willow said as she rounded the front counter.

"Willow! Hi!" Tara said with nervous enthusiasm.

The redhead smiled and reached for the baby's hand, "Hi Chelsea, hey cutie...how are you?"

The mini blonde responded immediately; smiling and reaching for Willow.

Willow's eyes met Tara's, silently asking for permission to hold the squirmy infant. Tara nodded and handed her to Willow.

The redhead scrunched her face and began sniffing around the little girl's head. "Tara, what's that smell? It's kind of a cross between bacon fat and...cat pee?"

Tara's eyes fell, landing on her feet and she nodded embarrassingly. "Um, I t-think so, but I really don't know."

Willow's brow knitted in concern as she contemplated Tara's answer. _What the heck is she doing here and why does Chelsea smell like this?_

"Tara, let me clock out, it's my break time anyway. You um...you want some fries and a soda or something?" Tara nodded and Willow handed Chelsea back. "Can you grab us a table in the back? It's a little quieter back there and we can talk."

"Okay," Tara responded.

Willow retreated behind the counter, clocking out, getting the promised food and picking up a hand full of wet-naps in the process, before meeting Tara at the table. Her mind was swimming with questions.

Tara was bouncing Chelsea on her knee when Willow returned, carrying the bright orange striped tray loaded with the promised soda and a large order of fries. Willow sat the tray on the table and reached for Chelsea. "You go ahead and eat, I'll hold her."

"Thanks," Tara said without meeting Willow's eyes.

Willow immediately began to balance the baby and simultaneously open wet-naps, before obsessively wiping them through the golden blonde locks. "So, what's going on? Why is she...you know?" Willow asked with concern.

Tara took in a deep breath and exhaled, "I...I don't even know where to begin."

"Well, the beginning is always good," Willow grinned, trying to lighten the atmosphere and eliciting a small smile from the cheerleader.

"Okay, a few w-weeks ago, Chelsea got kicked out of daycare. I was um, late picking her up for about the hundredth time and well, we got booted." Of course none of this was new information and Willow had to fight to keep her face neutral as Tara continued. "I was in a program for teen-moms and part of the costs were being subsidized. I lost my eligibility when I lost the daycare, so I had to find someone to watch her. We can't afford much so, I guess this is what I get." She said, motioning towards her daughter. "I-It wasn't too bad the first month, but now...today was definitely the worst."

Willow felt bad, Tara was clearly shaken. "You're Mom can't help out?"

"Oh, she was...is, but her work schedule changed. See she was working an eight to five weekday shift and it was perfect, I would drop her off and Mom would pick her up, but her schedule changed and now she's working a swing shift Wednesday thru Sunday one-thirty to ten-thirty. She um, she keeps Chels home on her days off and takes her to this lady on her way to work, then-"

"You pick her up after practice." Willow interrupted.

"Yeah, and it seemed like a perfect situation because this lady didn't care if I'm a little late or not. I mean Chelsea's only there three days a week for four or five hours a day but..."

Willow understood perfectly, "You're worried."

Tara nodded, "Willow, she smells like cat pee!"

"There's no one else?" Willow questioned as she too munched on a few fries.

Tara looked up at Willow as she chewed on her bottom lip, "Well, that's kinda why I'm here." She said as she looked pleadingly into Willow's deep green eyes. "I um, w-wanted to know if y-you were interested in babysitting for me?"

"Me?" Willow squeaked, "But I already have a job."

"You volunteered, remember?"

"Oh, yeah..." Willow recalled, pursing her lips tightly .

"I know it's a long shot but, you're so good with her and I...I..." Tara squirmed in her seat, "I trust you." Tara said honestly as she locked eyes with Willow. "You um, you said a few weeks ago if I ever needed anyone and you have early release, right?" Willow nodded. "It would only be three days a week until I get home from practice and Friday nights when I have games. I-I could pay you, not very much, but I could and it would be three less days that you would um, have to wear that uniform," Tara said jokingly as she glanced up and smiled apprehensively at Willow.

Willow's mind was churning. Why should she go out of her way to help Tara anymore than she already had? The girl had been mean to her and now here she was asking for a huge favor. A favor that Willow wasn't even sure she could fulfill and keep her job at the Doublemeat.

"How much?" Willow asked.

"A hundred dollars, that's what we're paying now," Tara sighed. She knew Willow wasn't making a lot at the Doublemeat, but even so, it was more than she could offer.

"I don't know Tara, that's like five dollars an hour and I'm making over seven right now. It kinda puts a crimp in my long term plans and when I said I'd help out, I meant _in addition_ and not _to replace_."

"Oh." Tara replied sadly, wondering why Willow needed a job so badly and what type of long term plans warranted her needing to desperately save money. After all, she was an only child of upper middle class parents and Tara figured she wanted for nothing. "Are you saving for college or something?" Tara asked reluctantly, trying not to come off sounding bitchy. It was none of her business and Willow owed her nothing, but Tara allowed her curiosity get the best of her anyway.

"Oh no, you see, the only reason I have this crummy job in the first place is because my parents won't buy me a car. They said I had to get a job and whatever I was able to save, they'd match it. I'm so sick of walking everywhere and I _really_ don't want to be stuck in Sunnydale this summer. I um, I have plans they sorta don't know about yet."

Tara nodded, it was obvious Willow didn't want to share any more information and Tara didn't push. "I understand but, will you at least think about it?" She plead.

Willow nodded, "I'll have to do some calculations and talk to my boss. I don't even know if they'd be willing to work around my schedule anymore than they do right now. This is a really big favor Tara."

"I know," Tara sniffled, about ready to burst into tears, "I'm s-sorry, I s-swore I wasn't going to get emotional. It's just, if anything ever h-happened to her because I..." Tara's words trailed off as she struggled to get a grip on her emotions.

Willow eyed Tara curiously, she didn't know the girl very well and her initial thought was that she was being played. That Tara had turned on the water works to guilt her, but there was something else, something genuine about how the blonde was coming across. Not to mention, Willow was quickly falling for Chelsea and shared Tara's concern. Even so, Willow still had to think about her priorities and whether or not it was beneficial to her.

Tara nodded her head and smiled up at Willow; knowing they were all talked out on the subject, she decided to re-route the conversation. "Thanks for the fries and stuff. It's probably my favorite thing on the menu here."

Willow returned the smile and shifted Chelsea to her other knee, "Thanks for stopping by. I usually just sit out back and read on my break, so this was a welcome change." She replied brightly.

"Well, maybe we can stop in more often," Tara said shyly. There was just something about Willow's ever cheery disposition that warmed Tara's heart.

"That would be nice," Willow said sincerely, meeting Tara's eyes and smiling. She glanced at her watch and the smile faded. "I think my time's up...gotta get back and feed the masses," She said rolling her eyes.

Tara chuckled as she finished off the fries and cleaned up the table. "Sorry," She said demurely, "I guess I was hungrier than I thought."

"S'okay, I kinda have them at my disposal anytime I want. Hold on a sec, okay?" Willow exclaimed, handing Chelsea to Tara and darting back behind the counter. She returned a few minutes later with a bag and a fresh soda; placing them on the table in front of Tara. Willow shrugged her shoulders awkwardly, "For later, in case you get hungry again."

"Thanks Will," Tara said as she gather her things; trying to balance the baby, the diaper bag and her food without dropping anything.

Willow was shocked once again, when she heard her nickname drift out of Tara's mouth, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She felt a warm tingly sensation flutter through her stomach and goose bumps form on her arms. She was taken aback by her reaction and had no idea what was going on. _We're not even friends!_ She admonished inwardly. It wasn't as if she was angry for the use of her nickname, it was more so along the lines of, _why_. The only one who used different variations of her name was Xander.

Willow shook the thoughts from her head and filed them away for another time. The restaurant was getting busy and she needed to get back.

"I'll see ya in school," Tara called out as she made her way to the exit.

"Okay, see ya," Willow said with a small wave and Tara was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi All and thank you all for the glorious feedback! I hope you enjoy the next chapter:)**

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Chapter 9

Willow sat at the small desk in her room with a notebook and a calculator. She'd been charting and crunching numbers for at least an hour. Since starting her job six months ago, Willow had obsessively tracked every hour and every dime she'd made. Most of the money she deposited into her bank account, an account which already had a substantial amount from birthdays, holidays and her Bat Mitzvah. Willow was nothing if not frugal with her money, her parents insisted on it. Her father was always droning on and on about rainy days and the importance of not living beyond your means, _blah, blah_, Willow thought ruefully. Her parents had visual access to her account and her father practically squealed when he saw the large sum Willow had managed to save. Little did he know that Willow had dual plans for the money, not just buying a car or '_saving for a rainy day_.'

She flipped back several pages to the front of the notebook and pulled out an old worn brochure from the front folder pocket. Across the top in faded blue lettering were the words, _Destination Design, America's Top Computer Program Design Camp For Teens._ Willow had wanted to attend the two week summer camp ever since she discovered it's existence on a trip to Los Angeles with her family several years earlier. She begged and pleaded with her parents for years, but they wouldn't give an inch.

Sheila and Ira Rosenberg's vision of their only child's future was a doctor, lawyer, or scientist and not someone who _played with computers._ They had driven Willow nearly insane over the years with endless chatter about college and career choices; spending numerous summer vacations visiting various college campuses instead of amusement parks like _normal_ families.

Finally, knowing they would never budge, Willow decided to take matters into her own hands and began socking her money away. With her eighteenth birthday coming up in March, enough money for the camp _and_ her own transportation...she knew there would be nothing they could do to stop her from attending; not that she thought they would go to great lengths to keep her in Sunnydale. There would be disappointment and a hefty guilt trip, but once they realized she'd already paid and had a solid plan in place, Willow knew they would acquiesce. Despite her parents dreams vs. her dreams, they were a very tight knit little family and got along well. That's why Willow wasn't surprised to find herself standing in the doorway to her parents bedroom and knocking softly.

"Mom?"

"Hi honey," Sheila replied, peering over the top of the book she was reading. She patted the spot next to her in the large king sized bed.

Willow smiled gratefully and hopped up on the bed. "When's Dad coming home?"

"Oh you know how those conferences go, out on Tuesday and home on Friday."

Willow nodded; sitting crossed legged next to her Mom, eyes down and futzing with the cuff of her pajama pants. Sheila closed her book and took off her glasses. Willow's pensive actions were a tell-tale sign that something was on her mind.

"So, you want to talk about it?" Sheila asked.

Willow chuckled lightly, "I hate that you know me so well."

"Well, it's kind of my job."

Willow puffed out her cheeks and blew her hair out of her face. "I um, I got offered a regular babysitting job three days a week, but I'm not sure if I should take it."

"Will you be quitting the Doublemeat?"

Willow shook her head, "No, it doesn't pay enough, but I'd be doing someone a favor and I could probably make up the difference in pay at the DMP."

Sheila pondered Willow's dilemma, "School and two jobs. Can you handle that?"

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "Yeah, it's no big. I could get all my homework done while I'm sitting."

"So what's the problem? Sounds to me like you have it all figured out."

Willow sighed heavily, "Well, the person I'd be sitting for goes to my school...she's a student."

Sheila's eyes widened in surprise, "Oh, I wasn't aware there were any students with children. I would imagine it's very difficult for her."

"Well, that's the thing, no one knows. They um, they all think the baby is her little sister. I'm not sure what's harder, being a teen parent or keeping it a secret. I think they both exhaust her."

"Wow, that's an awfully big secret to keep," Sheila said, giving Willow all of her attention.

"Yeah, but that's not my biggest issue. She's a Cordette." Sheila eyed Willow questionably, having no idea what she was referring to. "Oh um, she's a cheerleader...hangs out with Cordelia-"

"...Chase, yes unfortunately I'm well acquainted with her mother," Sheila grumbled. Now it was Willow's turn to look surprised. "Sorry, but that woman is just...unpleasant."

Willow laughed at her mother's visible dislike of the Chase women, "Yeah, I guess the apple didn't fall far from the bitch tree. Oh, sorry..."

Sheila chuckled at her daughter's use of words, "It's okay honey I feel your pain, Jackie Williams...Chase, was a pain in my ass in high school," Sheila lamented.

Willow's eyes grew wide, "You went to school with Cordelia's mother?"

"Oh yes, I've know her for over twenty-five years. We cheered together until I decided to drop it and focus on academics instead. I don't think she ever forgave me for that and in return, decided to make my life a living hell."

"Geez, I feel like our last name should be McFly or something," Willow said causing Sheila to laugh heartily.

"Willow, if you don't mind me asking, who is the girl with the baby?"

"Her name is Tara-"

"Maclay? Tara Maclay?"

"Gosh Mom, you need to stop doing that...it's creepy. How do you know all these people anyway?"

"I've lived here my whole life, well except for college and grad school and contrary to 'popular belief,' I do have a life outside of this house. I'm not just _Mom_, you know?" Willow rolled her eyes in typical teenage fashion. "Tara Maclay...I had no idea they'd moved back. I bet her father completely flipped when he found out she was pregnant."

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "He's not here, I'm pretty sure it's just Tara and her mom."

"So no Donny either?"

"Who's Donny?" Willow asked.

"Donny is Tara's older brother."

"How much do you know about them?" Willow was officially intrigued.

"A lot actually. You probably don't even remember, but you two used to be friends."

"Really!? I don't...I mean, I kinda remember her. I think she was in my second grade class, but then she moved away in middle school or junior high...I dunno."

"I'm not surprised you don't remember. Tara was so quiet and shy, plus she had a terrible stutter. Anyway, we all used to be friends; Daddy and Mr. Maclay worked together and that's how I met Jen. I think you and Tara were three or four years old at the time." Sheila paused while Willow scooted closer. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Jen and I became friends and regulars on the 'birthday party circuit,' so did Jackie Chase. That's probably how Tara originally met Cordelia."

"I don't understand Mom, if our families were friends, then how come I don't remember Tara?"

Sheila sighed, "It's hard to explain, you see her father was very controlling and at some point he became 'born again.' Although, we'd already started to drift before that." Willow gave her mother a sad look. "Things happen sweetheart, you develop different interests...Jen enrolled Tara in dance classes and I enrolled you in piano."

Willow's head shot up with realization, "Oh God! I remember dance classes...it was horrible," She stated with a look of abject horror on her face.

Sheila laughed, "We decided to enroll you two together and I took you to the same classes as Tara; it was a disaster. I think you had four left feet."

Willow frowned, "Gee thanks."

Sheila giggled a little more and reassuringly patted Willow's knee, "Anyway, the more immersed Mr. Maclay became in the church, the less and less we saw of them until they finally moved away." Sheila was careful not to tell Willow that it was ultimately Mr. Maclay's anti-Semitic views that drove a wedge between them.

Willow's brows were knitted as she thought about how life must have been for Tara. "That's actually kind of sad."

Sheila nodded, "Friends come and go Willow. It will happen to you as well, especially as an adult. You'll be busy with your own family someday and those relationships will come in second and some will fade. It's just the way things go."

"I guess," The younger redhead replied meekly as she settled into the bed next to her mother, not quite ready to go back to her own room. She was enjoying the calming effect of Sheila's fingers, gently running through her hair.

Willow's thoughts were now focused on the new information and she probed deep in her mind, trying to remember their families spending time together when she was little. Nothing specific came to mind, so she shifted to the more anxiety ridden memories of dance class. She never did remember Tara specifically, but she did remember a little blonde girl holding her hand when she was too nervous to perform. Willow smiled at the memory and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Tara was on pins and needles as she made her way to her locker after school. Several days had passed and there had been no answer from Willow. At some point over the weekend, she'd realized that she was getting a dose of her own medicine. She now knew exactly how Willow felt waiting to hear from her regarding the Cordelia situation. Tara was tired, stressed, and worried about her daughter. Her Mom had Chelsea for the next couple days, but what would happen after that? Would she have to quit school? Take her back to the cat lady? All these things combined were making her sick to her stomach.

Tara turned the combination dial on her locker, popped it open and a folded white sheet of paper floated out. Tara looked at the paper quizzically before bending to pick it up. The note was short...

_I'll do it. ~Willow 555-1212_

Tara smiled broadly, hardly able to contain herself. "Thank God," She said out loud, pressing the message to her chest.

"Since when did you become so religious?"

"Huh? Oh hey Cordy," Tara said happily.

"Wow, religion must really agree with you. What's got you so cheery today?"

"I um...I found a regular baby sitter for my da- for my little sister." Tara cringed and prayed Crodelia hadn't caught on. For once Tara was glad that Cordelia wasn't _really_ paying attention to her as she popped open her locker and eyed herself in the mirror.

"Geez, it's about time. It's so unfair of your Mom to lay all the responsibility on you when _she's_ the one that went and got herself knocked up." Cordelia said with a condescending tone of voice.

Tara clinched her fists and gritted her teeth, "It's not like that Cordy."

"Well whatever, I'm just glad the kid won't be a distraction for you anymore. I need you focused, we can't win state without you. This is my senior year and I wanna go out with a bang."

"Yeah," Tara said as Cordelia walked to cheer practice with her, changing the subject to a weekend shoe sale. Tara nodded politely every so often while Cordelia yammered on.

Tara had grown accustom to appeasing Cordelia over the past few months. She'd wanted nothing more than to just fit in, but even she had to admit, the girl was annoying. Being a cheerleader made her friends with Cordelia by default, and she decided early on she would rather be on Cordy's good side.

As they approached the door to the locker rooms, Tara slapped her palm to her forehead. "Ugh, I forgot something in my locker. I'll be back in a few."

"Uh? Okay, but don't be late!" Cordelia said, rolling her eyes and disappearing into the gym.

Tara turned and walked away, looking back to make sure Cordy was out of sight, before ducking into an empty hallway and pulling out her cell.

The phone rang several times before an out of breath Willow finally answered. "Hello!?"

"Hey Willow, it's Tara. I um, I got your note..." Tara said nervously.

"Oh hey Tara. Sorry it's so noisy, I'm at work and probably shouldn't even be on my phone, but I saw you calling, well I didn't actually know it was you, but I saw a number I didn't recognize and I don't get many calls, so I answered and here I am and, and...I should probably shut up now and let you talk..."

Tara couldn't help but giggle, Willow was so cute sometimes. _Cute?_ She shook the thought from her head and moved on. "So anyway, I just wanted to touch base and say thanks for helping me out. You'll never know how much I appreciate it."

Willow smiled proudly on the other end of the phone, "No problem. So, should I just come over on Wednesday after school? Does your Mom know?"

"Not yet, I wanted to call you first. I thought maybe you could stop by tomorrow evening after work to meet my Mom and get acquainted with stuff before just diving in. Maybe you c-could also um, stay for dinner?"

"Uh sure, that sounds good. I get off work around six-thirty. Is that okay?" Willow questioned.

"It's perfect, and Willow, thanks again."

Willow found herself unable to suppress a smile at the sincerity in Tara's voice. "You're welcome Tara...I'll see you tomorrow. Bye"

"Bye Willow." Tara hung up, clutching the phone to her chest and falling back against a row of lockers. She took a deep breath to ground herself before stashing away her phone and heading back to practice.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Willow slowly pulled into the driveway at Tara's house in her mother's white Mercedes. Sheila didn't want Willow walking around Sunnydale at night, so she'd happily given up her car for the evening. Willow was a bit nervous about meeting Tara's Mom and even more jittery being around Tara. She checked her appearance in the mirror again and her breath, but stopped when she could not figure out exactly why she was doing either. _Geez, what the frilly heck is wrong with me?_ After having thoroughly chastised herself, she hopped out and made her way to the front door.

Tara was in Chelsea's room, changing her crib sheets and trying to suppress the anxious feeling in her stomach when she heard a car pull into the driveway. Tara pulled the curtain back and peeked out just in time to see Willow step out. She smiled widely and tossed the dirty sheets in the hamper before heading downstairs to meet Willow.

Tara rushed down the stairs and pulled the door open before Willow even had time to knock, startling the girl.

"Oh, hey!" Willow exclaimed.

"Hi, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay, I didn't expect the door to fly open. So we're even!" Willow said cheerfully.

Tara couldn't help but smile. Willow's enthusiasm was contagious. "So, how was work?"

"Oh you know, same old same...burgers, fries, and soda." Willow answered, stepping inside and fidgeting nervously as an awkward silence fell over them. "So, where's your Mom?"

"She's in the kitchen finishing up with dinner. Come on!" Tara said as she reached out and lightly pulled on Willow's sleeve. "Hey Mom, Willow's here!" Tara shouted, bursting through the kitchen door and startled her daughter in the process.

Mrs. Maclay frowned when she heard the baby begin to fuss and gave Tara a look of disappointment.

Tara laughed nervously, "Oops, I seem to be frightening everyone tonight..."

Willow giggled and moved towards the crying infant; squatted down and removed Chelsea from the swing. "Hey you, what's with all the big noise?"

As soon as Willow picked up Chelsea, she quieted and began to smile. Tara glanced at her Mom and they shared an amusing and knowing smile.

"What?" Willow asked.

"When Tara told me you were the _'Chelsea Whisperer_' I didn't believe her, but now that I've seen it, I think she may be on to something. Hi Willow, it's so nice to see you again sweetie." She said with a warm smile.

Willow blushed, "Hi Mrs. Maclay, it's nice to see you too."

"Please, call me Jen. How's you're Mom and Dad? Gosh, I haven't seen them in years."

"They're good. My Mom said to say 'hi,' and to give her a call, she said she'd love to get together and catch up."

"I will, thanks for the message. Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes or so. Tara, why don't you show Willow around a bit? Get her acquainted with the house and everything."

"Sure Mom, come on Will." Tara said as she motioned for Willow to follow her. The girls left the kitchen with Willow still carrying Chelsea as Tara took her on a tour of the house, even though Willow sort of already knew her way around. The tour finally ended upstairs in Chelsea's room so Tara could change the baby's diaper.

"So," Tara said as she cleaned up her daughter, "I usually try to give her a bath between seven and seven-thirty. That way I can get her fed and in bed by eight."

"Wow, that doesn't give you much time together, huh?"

Tara shook her head sadly, "Unfortunately no, but it's the only way I can get my homework done and at least get a few hours of sleep. She still wakes up once or twice during the night to eat. Sometimes, I let her sleep with me; it's just easier that way."

"Don't you still have to get up and get her a bottle?"

Tara's face grew flushed, "Um, I sorta am her bottle."

Willow cocked her head, she was genuinely perplexed. "Huh? Wha...oh. Oh! I uh, didn't know you were...I mean because you have bottles and all and how can you do that [i]and[/i] go to school?"

Tara giggled, "You babble a lot huh?"

"Yeah, it's a thing." Willow chuckled.

Tara responded with a lopsided smile and Willow nearly fainted. _Oh God, there it is again!_ She smiled back goofily, desperately hoping Tara didn't notice the range of emotions she was sure were playing across her face.

"Well, to answer you're question...I pump, a lot and she drinks formula sometimes too. Plus, now I'm starting her on a cereal mix. Willow, can you maybe stick around after dinner? I thought maybe you'd like to help me give her a bath and sorta see our nightly routine?" Tara asked hopefully.

Willow nodded, "Sure, I'd love to...thanks." They stood sort of staring at each other and sort of looking away, except this time it wasn't awkward, it was a comfortable silence and Willow knew they were, once again, _having a moment_. Soon the silence was broken by Tara's Mom, calling the girls down for dinner.

"So...dinner..." Tara breathed.

"Yeah...dinner..." Willow repeated finally tearing her eyes away from Tara as they headed downstairs.

Dinner was relaxed and chatty as the threesome talked about a myriad of subjects from cute furry animals to Tara's twenty hours in labor with Chelsea. Jen reminisced, telling stories from when Willow and Tara were little; shedding quite a bit of light on their humble beginnings.

As dinner was winding down, Chelsea became restless and Tara knew it was time to get her settled in for the night. Neither she nor Willow was done eating, but the baby didn't seem to care.

"Looks like someone is getting tired," Tara said as she rose from the table to retrieve her daughter from the swing. Willow jumped up from her chair to follow Tara as the blonde coddled the fussy infant. "It's okay Willow, go ahead and finish your dinner."

"No, i-it's fine. I wanna help," Willow said.

Jen smiled, "I'll cover your plates, in case you're hungry later."

"Thanks Mom," Tara replied.

"Thank you Mrs...Jen," Willow added.

* * *

A little while later Willow and Tara were kneeling over the side of the bath tub while Chelsea happily splashed about.

"Wow, it's crazy that our families used to hang out and stuff," Willow said, breaking the silence.

Tara smirked, "Sort of ironic, huh?"

"Yeah," Willow said with a knowing smile, "I had no idea until my Mom clued me in a couple days ago. I uh, I don't remember. Do you?"

Tara shook her head, slightly embarrassed. "No, not really. It's all kind of hazy, sorry."

Willow shrugged, "Hey, don't be, I've racked my brain and nothing. I guess when you're little, if people don't stick around, you just forget."

"It's weird, I remember you from elementary school and junior high, but we never really talked or anything so I had no idea about before." Tara said as she wiped Chelsea gently with a warm wash cloth.

"That's a cool little seat. Where'd you find it?" Willow interjected, changing the subject.

"Oh, at The Baby Barn, they have a lot of really neat things. It's a perfect fit for her and the suction cups really stick tight, so no slippage! This way she can sit up on her own and play for a bit while I wash her. She sorta out grew the baby tub and all the constant leaning over was killing my back. This way is so much easier. Sometimes I get in with her, but she's really slippery and squirmy," The blonde giggled.

Willow returned the smile, "I found that out when I tried to change her diaper a few weeks ago. Apparently she likes to kick...a lot." The redhead quipped.

"Always!" Tara agreed. "She was like a kick boxing champion in my tummy."

"What was it like?" Willow asked.

"Being pregnant?" Tara clarified and Willow nodded. "It uh...it was pretty cool. Well, after the 'trimester of vomit,' that is. Anyway, things settle down after that, you get used to your body changing. My skin completely cleared up, not a trace of acne!" Tara smiled brightly. "I think the coolest part was feeling her inside me, kicking, moving...it's a weird thing to know that you have a life growing inside of you and then to feel it...it's surreal. Do um, do you ever wanna have kids?"

"Someday, but I guess I need a boyfriend or a husband or something first," Willow lamented as she turned to hand a bath toy back to Chelsea.

Tara frowned, having no idea why she suddenly became a bit melancholy hearing Willow talk about settling down with a family. She blinked and tried to shake it off, but it was useless.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" Willow asked, noticing Tara's sudden mood shift. "I didn't mean anything, I-I just meant that I would need to be in a relationship of some sort a-and even able to actually speak to a guy to even have hope of getting pregnant, not that I want to just yet and not that it always leads to pregnancy and I think once again I'll just be shutting up..."

Tara looked amused as she quirked an eyebrow in Willow's direction. "I get it," She laughed, "I guess I'm just tired."

Willow nodded in agreement and reached over to pull the plug, allowing the water to drain from the tub. The sleepy time lavender soap Tara was using was making Willow yawn uncontrollably. She glanced at Chelsea and noticed that the infant was still wide awake and happily splashing about in the draining water.

Unable to suppress it any longer, Willow yawned dramatically, "Isn't that soap supposed to have this effect on Chelsea? I think she's immune."

Tara smiled at Willow's adorable sleepy face. She grabbed a hooded towel and tossed it over Chelsea's back, "Willow, always make sure you pick her up with a towel, so she doesn't slip out of your hands."

"Right, no dropping the baby. Got it!" Willow said, eliciting a slight giggle from the blonde.

Tara moved with confidence and grace as she picked up her daughter, while simultaneously wrapping the towel fully around her tiny body. Willow was completely impressed and in awe of Tara at the same time. Not to mention how cute mother and daughter were together.

Tara baby talked to the infant, eliciting giggles and laughter. She hugged the infant to her chest, not caring in the least that her shirt was becoming increasingly wet as the bath water soaked through the towel. She rubbed her hand across the hoodie part of the towel, trying to dry Chelsea's head the best that she could before motioning for Willow to follow her.

Tara lay Chelsea on the changing table and continued to pat her dry, then reached for the tube of diaper rash paste. "She's been a little rash-y lately, so you'll need to put this stuff on every time you change her." Tara smeared a generous amount of the paste on her right middle finger and began to rub it about; failing to notice the look on Willow's face.

The redhead's eyebrows shot up nearly to her hairline as she watched Tara apply the white sticky cream between Chelsea's legs. It was one thing to wipe and get in there with a baby wipe, but this? Willow's mind was in a quandary and she'd gone completely non-verbal.

"Willow, can you hand me a wipe?" Tara asked; getting no response she finally look in Willow's direction. "Will? Wipe...please?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah...okay." Willow said as she fumbled with the box of baby wipes, her hands a bit unsteady, until she finally managed to extricate the wipe and hand it to Tara. She took a step back and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Thanks," Tara said sweetly as she wiped her fingers clean and quickly diapered the baby. She could sense how uncomfortable the redhead was, but continued her nightly routine.

"Willow," Tara said softly without looking up, "Are you okay?" She waited a few seconds before getting a reluctant nod from the redhead before continuing. "It gets chilly at night and she tends to kick off her blanket, so I always dress her in a long sleeve footy sleeper. They're in the second drawer, can you hand me one?"

Willow stepped towards the dresser, opened the drawer and pulled out a cute moon and stars sleeper. She turned and handed the pj's over to Tara. "She has some of the cutest clothes I've ever seen."

Tara grinned widely, "I LOVE shopping for her! I know it's ridiculous, because she grows out of things so fast, but I love dressing her up in the really cute stuff. I um...I even got her a little cheerleading outfit." Tara said as she blushed brightly.

"I bet you both look adorable together!" The words slipped out before Willow had a chance to censor them and it was now her turn to blush uncontrollably. "I just mean, you know, the matching outfits and all..."

Tara picked up her baby, "We do!" She replied brightly. "Unfortunately, because of my Mom's schedule, she can't bring her to any of my games. Not that it's ideal for an infant, but it'd be nice to have pictures to show her later. Like, here we are cheering together or something..." Tara turned her eyes towards the floor, suddenly embarrassed.

"I understand, it's kinda not the same dressed identically in your living room. So...what's next?"

"Oh um, just feeding, burping and then bed." Tara moved to the glider chair and sat down. Chelsea automatically sensed what was to come and immediately began to nuzzle and pull at Tara's shirt. The blonde smiled affectionately and began to unbutton her shirt.

Willow immediately averted her gaze and bounced nervously on the balls of her feet. _Oh my God. What should I do? Act like it's no big deal? Look away? Leave the room? Just stare because her breasts are beautiful and I can't seem to look away? Oh God, I can't believe I just thought that! It's cool, it's natural and a beautiful thing. Yeah, that's exactly what I meant._

Tara hadn't been thinking when she started to unbutton her top and just as her bra clad breast popped out, she heard a crash.

"Oh crap, sorry, sorry...shit...sorry," Willow rambled.

Tara looked up to find Willow, while in a mild state of panic and embarrassment, had backed into Chelsea's dresser and knocked over a lamp. The poor girl was struggling to keep it from hitting the floor and had the moment not been so intense, Tara would have burst out laughing at Willow's theatrics.

"I um, I wasn't thinking...not used to having anyone in here when we um, y-you don't have to stay."

"Well, if you don't want me to...I uh, I don't want to intrude on your time with Chelsea." Willow nervously replied.

Tara shrugged her shoulders, "I-I don't mind. Modesty kind of flies out the window after you have a baby," She chuckled.

Willow flashed a relieved smile, "I'm okay, if you're okay, but I'll just sit over here on the floor. I think it'll be safer for all of us." Willow quipped, making sure to sit at an angle where Tara's naked breast wasn't visible. She feared that if it was, she wouldn't be able to stop staring.

Willow watched in silence for several moments while Tara fed the infant. The blonde looked upon her daughter affectionately, rocking the glider and humming a lullaby as the baby continued to suckle her breast. It was a lovely moment and Willow felt her heart flutter when Tara looked up and their eyes met. _Oh God, what's happening?_

Tara was caught up in the moment as well, but wanted to make sure Willow wasn't too uncomfortable. She looked up briefly and was overcome with emotion at the dreamy look on the babysitter's face. Tara's heart pounded and she felt as if hundreds of butterfly's had suddenly taken flight in her stomach. _Oh wow, what's going on here?_ She thought, reluctantly pulling her eyes away from the sweet freckled face across the room and training them back on her daughter. The baby's eyes were closed and she was clearly asleep, yet her sucking reflex kept her latched on to her mother's breast. Tara smiled as she gently extracted the infant from the swollen nipple, pulled her shirt closed and placed Chelsea on her shoulder to burp. Once Tara was satisfied with the outcome, she buttoned her shirt and rose to place her child in the crib.

Willow stood when Tara did and joined her at the railing. The girls stood side by side for a long moment until Tara whispered, "You wanna tuck her in?" Tara asked.

Willow nodded and Tara stepped back as the redhead began pulling the small baby blanket up around Chelsea's waist; leaning forward, she tenderly placed a kiss on the baby's forehead. "Sweet dreams, baby girl," Willow whispered and the two teenagers tiptoed out of the room.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Thanks all for the wonderful feedback! It inspires me and keeps me writing. So, please continue to leave your comments:)_**

* * *

**_Chapter 11_**

After an awkward first couple weeks, Willow soon fell into a comfortable routine. She would arrive at the Maclay house before one and Jen would already have Chelsea fed and down for a nap. Willow would immediately dig into any unfinished homework or she would read ahead to make things easier with her busy schedule. Chelsea would awaken between two and three and the redhead would change, feed and spend the rest of the afternoon entertaining the infant until Tara got home; usually around five or six.

In preparation for her babysitting duties, Willow had throughly researched infant development and had decided to use her time with Chelsea to focus on some of the things she'd learned. It hadn't really crossed Willow's mind until Sheila mentioned, that Willow herself, had been crawling at eight months, the age Chelsea was now. That was when the obsessive research had started and Willow put together a development plan based on her age and current skill level. She decided not to mention it to Tara, for fear the girl would think she was insane.

Willow was on the floor with Chelsea, setting up soft blocks and allowing the infant to knock them over. The baby would squeal in delight each time the blocks tumbled; amusing herself and Willow. The redhead would set the blocks up in a different pattern each time. Sometimes square, sometimes rectangular and some by color. Each time she moved the blocks further away, forcing Chelsea to figure out how to get closer. Most of the time, the infant would fall to her belly and roll, but out of the blue she fell forward onto her belly, pushed up on her hands and knees and began to rock back and forth.

"Oh my gosh!" Willow exclaimed and jumped in front of Chelsea to encourage her on. "That's it...come on sweetie, you can do it!"

Concentration was etched across the little girl's face, but she soon became tired and fell to the floor.

"Woo hoo! Great job munchkin, you're almost there!" Willow said as she swooped Chelsea up in her arms and smothered her with kisses. The baby giggled happily, but soon began pushing off of Willow, eager to get back to the game.

Willow sat her close to the blocks when she heard the familiar jingle of keys and the front door open.

"Honey, I'm home!" Tara joked as she entered the house.

Willow giggled and called out to Tara, "Hey, we're in the family room! Come here, quick, you've got to see this!"

Tara dropped her stuff by the door and hurried into the family room.

"Hey, what's going on?" The blonde chirped as she dropped to the floor next to Willow.

"Watch this..." Willow said as she gathered the blocks and set them up again just out of arms reach.

Chelsea just sat for a few seconds watching and then motioned for Tara to pick her up; making no move for the blocks.

Tara reached for her and Willow stopped her, "Wait, not yet. Chelsea, hey sweetie the blocks are over here. See? Come on sweet-pea, let's show Mommy what you can do." Willow motioned towards the soft colorful toys, even knocking a few over to get her attention, but all of her efforts were to no avail as Chelsea only had eyes for her mother.

The baby began to fuss and Willow sighed deeply, utterly defeated. "Fine, pick her up," The redhead pouted.

Tara giggled and picked up her daughter. "Tara, I swear...she almost crawled. Just now, right before you walked in the door."

"Really?!"

"Yes, but now she couldn't care less. It's like when you hear your car making a funny noise and you take it to the mechanic, only when he starts the car and listens there is no funny noise. Then he looks at you like you're crazy...kinda how you're looking at me right now." Willow finished, crossing her arms defiantly across her chest. "You don't believe me!"

"I didn't say that...I mean if you _say_ she did..." Tara teased.

"Tare," Willow whined, "Come on, it's true!"

Tara couldn't hold out any longer and began to laugh at Willow's pouty face. It was utterly adorable.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist teasing you. Let's try again, okay?"

Willow nodded eagerly and gestured for Tara to join her, "Okay, but you have to come over here, behind the blocks."

Willow set up the blocks and Tara sat Chelsea down, then moved over next to Willow. The girls were on their hands and knees with their thighs, arms and shoulders touching ever so lightly. Tara glanced towards Willow; with their faces only inches apart, giving the blonde a very close, very intimate view of the babysitter.

Tara's breath caught in her throat as her eyes danced across Willow's delicate features. Her bright green eyes and the paleness of her skin accented by hundreds of tiny freckles sprinkled across the bridge of her nose and cheeks. When Willow smiled and began to encourage the baby to crawl, Tara swooned and nearly fell over.

"Hey, are you okay?" Willow asked, none the wiser.

"Um yeah, I just uh...lost my balance. Super klutz here!"

Tara's cheeks blushed bright red, completely embarrassed that she'd nearly been caught staring. Her feelings were confusing, spiraling out of control and she could not figure out why she was so drawn to Willow. Why was Willow's smile having such an effect on her? Other people had smiled at her before and she hadn't nearly fallen over.

Tara decided that now was not the time for processing, she needed to focus on her child and the task at hand. So she shelved the thoughts and did her best to suppress her blossoming feelings towards her daughter's babysitter.

Willow on the other hand was so completely focused on getting Chelsea to crawl, she missed the entire display unfolding next to her. She had her resolve face on and nothing was going to stop her from achieving her goal.

"Come on Chels, you can do it."

Tara changed her position and sat cross legged with her hands out stretched, "Come on baby, come to Mommy. Come on..." She encouraged.

Chelsea locked eyes with Tara and smiled brightly. She suddenly fell forward onto the palms of her hands. Tara gasped audibly and her first instinct was to lunge forward and catch her baby, but instead she felt a warm hand on her arm. "It's okay Tare...watch," Willow said.

Tara's heart was in her throat, but she swallowed hard and simply nodded as she watched her daughter on hands and knees begin to rock back and forth until she tentatively started to crawl forward.

Tara gasped again, "Oh my God! She's doing it!"

"See? I told you!" Willow exclaimed, feeling vindicated.

Chelsea crawled slowly, just a few inches, before tiring and collapsing onto her belly. Tara squealed, swooping in and lifting the baby into the air.

"You did it Sweetie! Mommy's so proud of you!" Tara said as she rubbed noses with Chelsea and pulled her in for a hug. "Wow, that was amazing."

As Tara gushed and snuggled the child to her chest, Willow sat completely mesmerized. She was mildly aware of the dopey grin plastered across her face and hoped she didn't look like a complete idiot, but she just couldn't pull herself away from the girl's aqua blue eyes. Tara had never looked more beautiful. The way her eyes twinkled, the fullness of her lips and the glow from the wispy tendrils of blonde hair that fell around her face. Willow's heart swelled with warmth as she fought the urge to reach out and tuck the errant hairs behind Tara's ears. Then, with that last thought, as if struck by lightening, Willow began to panic and bolted up off the floor.

"I have to go!" She blurted out, so loud and unexpected that it made Tara jump.

"Okay..." Tara mumbled, the disappointment rolling off her in waves. Something had happened, something changed and Tara had no idea what it was.

"Sorry, it's just that I-I-I have um...homework! Yes, homework a-a-and my parents are expecting me for dinner a-a-and I um, I just...need to go. I'll see you tomorrow." Willow stammered as she ran around gathering her things and rushed out the door.

"Bye," Tara whispered as the redhead disappeared from the room and was gone. Tara sat with Chelsea in her lap in the stone cold quiet of her house...completely defeated.

* * *

After Willow left, Tara didn't really have time to over think the situation. Chelsea became fussy and Tara took her to the kitchen, sat her in the highchair and fed the little girl dinner. Then it was bath time, some mommy-daughter time, nursing and into bed. By the time Tara was done she was suitably exhausted. She plopped down on her bed, reached for her book bag and pulled out her algebra book.

The large text flopped onto the bed and Tara simply stared, as if she expected it to magically open and feed her with knowledge. Unfortunately, the book laid still and Tara's tired mind began to wander.

The algebra book was the same book that Willow had returned to her. The same book that had spent time in Willow's backpack and the same book that undoubtedly spent time in Willow's bedroom; perhaps even on her bed. Tara ran an index finger down the front of the cold hard surface.

_Willow's room_.

What was it like? Was it big? What was on the walls? Tara had no idea, it suddenly occurred to her that she'd never seen Willow's bedroom because she'd never even been to Willow's house. _Why not?_ She thought. _Well, maybe because she's never invited you over, duh. _Tara scoured her brain, trying to remember if she'd _ever_ been to Willow's when she was little, but soon gave up. She hardly remembered Willow, much less her house. Tara frowned and set the heavy text aside, lying down instead and feeling a thousand pangs of guilt again for not taking the time to get to know Willow better. Even now, they saw each other nearly everyday, shared special moments and Tara still had not one single clue into Willow's life. _You need to learn to be a better friend Tara_. Her last thought as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

In all the time Willow was forced to deal with the Cordettes, she'd always come to the conclusion that they were a bunch of brainless nincompoops. Now, she realized she'd been completely wrong. Well, at least about one Cordette in particular.

Willow was pleasantly surprised to find that Tara Maclay was far from brainless. In fact, Tara was quite the opposite and the more she got to know her, the more she genuinely liked the girl and the more she liked Tara, the more confused she became. Her feelings of 'like' were traveling the bullet train well beyond those of friendship, the lines were starting to blur and Willow had no idea how she should be dealing with these feelings. They scared her and caused her to do dumb things, like jump up and run out of someones house like a crazy person.

This particular inner monologue was the main reason Willow skipped lunch with her friends and instead chose the solitude of the library. Not to mention the fact that seeing Xander relentlessly flirt with Anya, made her stomach all acidy. He was like a rabid dog in his pursuit of the new comer and was ignoring Willow to the point where she felt completely invisible.

Willow rounded the corner of a tall stack of books, seeking out her favorite table in the back of the library. When she saw that it was taken, she frowned and visibly slouched. She was so busy making various faces that it took several seconds for it to register that the person occupying the table was Tara.

Willow stopped and took a moment to observe the girl, before moving towards the table. Tara looked tired, frustrated and on the verge of tears.

"Tara?" Willow said as she neared the private table.

Tara looked up, immediately recognizing the voice and gave Willow a small wave, "Hey."

"Hi. What are you doing here? I thought you always went out for lunch." Willow said as she slid into a chair on the opposite side of the table. "Oh um, is...is this okay?" Willow asked, seeking permission to join the blonde.

Tara nodded, "Of course," She smiled sweetly. "I usually do go out, but I kinda screwed up."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, by the time I got done with everything last night, instead of doing my math homework...I sorta fell asleep. I didn't do the work, didn't study, I have a test tomorrow, I'm totally confused and if I don't pass with at least a 'C,' I'm gonna get an 'F' this semester." Tara said, out of breath and causing Willow to chuckle. "You're l-laughing at me?" Tara pouted, a tad hurt by Willow's actions.

"Oh no, I...I'm sorry," Willow reached across the table and covered Tara's hand with her own; suddenly feeling guilty for laughing and for not staying to help Tara the night before. "I um, I've just never heard 'Tara-babble' before."

Tara responded with an adorable half smile, immediately calming with the gentle touch, as Willow reassuringly squeezed her hand before letting go.

"I can help," Willow said with a hopeful look on her face.

Tara shook her head, "No, you do too much already, especially for me, plus aren't you already helping Xander and Anya?"

"Pfft, those two don't do anything but make googly eyes at each other. I gave up on them a long time ago, besides I need an excuse to get me out of those awkward study sessions anyway."

"Willow, I can't ask-"

"You're not, I'm offering. No strings attached, please?"

Tara sighed deeply realizing she didn't really have a choice. She could either accept the help or fail. It wasn't that she wanted to decline, it was a great excuse to spend more time with the adorable redhead, but after Willow's abrupt exit the night before...Tara was hesitant. After several long seconds, Tara finally acknowledged with a reluctant nod.

"Great!" Willow semi-shouted, "Oops sorry, what are you having trouble with?" She asked, lowering her voice.

Tara shrugged her shoulders, "All of it?"

"Let me see your book," Willow said as Tara slid the text book across the table, "Hmmmm, word problems huh?"

Tara nodded, "They make no sense to me. It's like, If you have 4 pencils and I have 7, how many pancakes will fit on the roof? Purple, because aliens don't wear hats." Tara dead panned as Willow broke out in a fit of giggles.

Finally pulling herself together, Willow stood and scooted her chair next to Tara so they could both see the book. "It's okay Tare, I promise we'll get it done and by tonight, you'll fully understand. I guarantee it!"

"Thanks Will," Tara said sincerely.

Thirty minutes later, with about five minutes to spare before the lunch bell rang, Tara's homework was complete.

"Thanks again Will, you have no idea how much I appreciate the help."

Willow's bright green eyes met with blue and she grinned goofily. "What?" Tara asked.

Willow shrugged, "No one hardly ever calls me Will, I like it."

"Well, no one calls me Tare except you, so I guess we're even," She said with a wink. "But um, not even Xander?" Tara cringed, she had no idea why she asked that question and hoped the distain in her voice didn't show.

"He usually calls me Willster or Willsterama or something equally embarrassing. He can be so obnoxious sometimes," Willow said with a slight bit of annoyance. Thinking back to how Xander's been acting lately.

"Oh, I uh kinda th-thought you guys were s-sort of an item..." Tara was now treading on uneven ground. She wanted to know, but at the same time felt a sharp twinge of jealousy at the mere thought.

"Oh no, we're just friends. We used to go out but we broke up."

"How come?"

"He stole my Barbie," Willow said flatly, receiving a quirked eyebrow from the blonde. "We were five."

"Oh."

"I don't actually date a whole lot...lately," Willow could feel the crimson creeping up her neck.

"Why not?" God Tara, shut up! You don't want to push her into dating someone!

"Well, when I'm with a boy I like, it's hard for me to say anything cool, or witty, or at all...I can usually make a few vowel sounds, and then I have to go away."

Tara giggled, sometimes Willow was just too cute. "It can't be that bad."

"Trust me, it is. Spazz, party of one! What about you? I bet the boys are just lining up outside your door." _Please say no, please say no..._

Tara ducked her head, "There's a few, but I don't r-really have the time to date anymore."

"Oh, well I could babysit...i-if you wanted me to." _Willow! You idiot!_

"Um maybe, I dunno. I haven't really since..." Tara shrugged her shoulders.

The conversation was growing more awkward by the second and both girls were relieved when the lunch bell finally rang.

Willow nodded in understanding, but desperately wanted to know the backstory on Chelsea. "So, I guess I'll see you tonight?"

"Tonight, after practice as usual."

"I'll stay, if it's okay, to help you study for your algebra test?

Tara smiled sweetly at the prospect of spending more time with the redhead, even if it was just platonic. "Sounds like a plan. Bye Will."

"Bye Tare." They said as they exited the library into the busy halls of Sunnydale high.


	12. Chapter 12

**Wow, you all are so impatient! LOL They'll figure it out and they will get there...eventually. The next chapter is important and will definitely start to move things along:) The back story will eventually come as well, but Tara just isn't ready yet. She needs ****of figure out her feelings and if Willow is also having similar feelings. Once she gets there, she'll spill...I promise!**

**Tavannaleah: Thank you so much! No insignificant feelings...just keep writing! **

**Graq: Unfortunately, the rif between Willow and Xander is going to get worse before it gets better. Hopefully they'll be able to work through it.**

* * *

_**Chapter 12**_

When the bell rang Cordelia and Buffy were already at their lockers, busily checking themselves out in the mirrors that hung inside, when Buffy happen to catch a glimpse of Willow and Tara exiting the library together. She nudged Cordelia in the ribs with her elbow.

"Hey, check it out," Buffy whispered, nodding towards the duo.

"What? Well, isn't this interesting," Cordelia replied.

"So, Tara ditched us to hang out in the library with her?" Buffy looked perplexed.

"That's what it looks like."

"Cordy, how much longer are you going to stick to your little _agreement_ with Tara?" Buffy asked.

Cordelia rolled her eyes, "Until I get a passing grade in computer class, I guess, but it's _killing_ me! It's just against the natural course of nature and very unnatural. I mean, if I let it go any longer, the nerds will think they're even with us and not losers anymore; which they totally still are. It's just not right and now Tara is ditching _us_ for her? Like, does she even realize that she's a cheerleader?"

"Unnatural," Buffy said flatly.

"Hey, I'll see you later," Cordelia said, somewhat distracted as she began to stride away with purpose and in the direction Tara was headed.

It took a couple minutes, but Cordelia finally caught up with the blonde half way down the hall.

"Hey...Tara!" Cordelia shouted above the den of hallway chaos, while waving a hand in the air.

Tara stopped and spun her head in the direction her name was coming from. "Oh, hey Cordy," She replied with her best fake smile.

"So...where were you at lunch today? We waited like, a minute," Cordelia threw a hand in the air and sounded quite annoyed with all the time she had wasted.

"Sorry," Tara said sheepishly, "I didn't finish my math homework last night, so I stayed here and did it in the library."

Cordelia rolled her eyes, "Since when do you care so much about homework?"

_Geez, one day her eyes are just going to permanently stick up there._ "Since always, I don't want to flunk the class Cordy. I'd like to graduate and get into college."

"Well, I guess, it's just so not on my radar. I don't have to worry about any of that since famous movie actors don't need college."

"You're not a famous actor."

"Not yet, but I will be. As soon as I graduate, it's goodbye Sunnydale and hello Hollywood!"

"Well, you have to graduate first, which is exactly my point." Tara couldn't help but be amused at Cordelia's ridiculous logic.

"Yeah and you also have to get through senior year, which you seem to be forgetting," Cordelia said.

"Isn't that what I just said?" Tara asked.

Once again, Cordelia rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'm talking about socially."

"What's does that have to do with math?" Tara inquired.

"Nothing, geez Einstein. It has to do with _who_ you're hanging out with in the library _and_ the fact you're hanging out in the library at all." Cordelia reached out and grabbed Tara's arm; not forcefully, but hard enough to get Tara's attention. They stopped walking and were now facing each other. "Look Tara, I know transferring from a different school can be tough, but I took you in and allowed you to be _one of us_."

Tara's face became flush with anger. She was now officially annoyed with Cordelia. "Excuse me? You _allowed_ me? What am I, some charity case? I made the squad because I'm good and it had nothing to do with you!"

Cordelia's chin dropped and her eyes narrowed as she looked down her nose at the blonde, "That's not what I'm talking about, but since we're on the subject, you've been slacking lately and it you don't watch yourself..."

"Then what?" Tara fired right back.

"Then I'll make sure you're out. I'm head cheerleader and don't you forget it."

"You might be head cheerleader, but you are not in charge of saying who stays and who goes. Besides, wasn't it you who begged me to try out in the first place? _Oh Tara, I'm so glad you're back. PLEASE try out for the squad. You're our only hope for nationals."_

Cordelia was livid. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. "That may be true, but if you continue to hang out and be seen with that redheaded loser, I'll make you're high school existence a living hell. Cheerleaders are at the top of the social ladder. We don't talk to nerds, we make fun of them and we certainly don't become _friends_ with them." Tara's mouth hung open, she was at a complete loss for words. "That's right, I saw you two coming out of the library together, all chummy. Need I remind you of our little _agreement_? Keep it up and all bets are off."

Tara was beyond furious, "You can't do that Cordelia; y-you promised."

"See, that's the difference between _y-you_ and me. I can do whatever I want and I don't feel the least bit guilty." With that, Cordelia turned on her heels and disappeared down the hall.

* * *

Willow was running around like a crazy person trying to get everything done when the alarm on her phone sounded.

"No! That can't be the time, I'm not ready for Tara to be home yet..." She grumbled, "Okay, come here you cute little munchkin." Willow leaned down and picked up the baby out of the activity bouncer and placed her in the high-chair. "I want you fed, bathed and hopefully in bed before your Mommy gets home."

Willow went about the task of feeding the energetic infant before bathing her and getting her ready for bed. She'd made sure to keep the little girl busy and awake all afternoon. Willow wondered if Chelsea would actually cooperate without being nursed and was hoping a nice warm bottle would do the trick.

A little while later, with the baby sound asleep in her crib, Willow rushed downstairs to finish getting everything ready. Tara was always home later than normal on Thursdays, so Willow wanted to get the studying done before Tara got too tired and passed out. Just as Willow finished, she heard the familiar click of the lock and creek of the front door.

Tara lumbered through the front door and unceremoniously dropped her book bag on the floor. She was exhausted and not just physically; the earlier run-in with Cordelia left her emotionally drained.

"Hey, I'm home!" Tara called out as Willow came charging out of the dining room.

"Shhhhhhhh or you'll wake up Chelsea." The redhead said with a finger over her lips.

"Asleep? Really?" Tara asked.

"Um hmm, she's been down for about ten minutes now. Come on, I made us dinner," Willow grinned, enjoying the surprised look on Tara's face.

Tara dutifully followed Willow into the dining room where she saw two places set. Not only had the redhead managed to feed, bathe and get Chelsea to bed early, but had somehow found the time to make them both something to eat. Tara was finally pulled out of her shocked daze by the sound of Willow's voice.

"So, I know it's not much, but I knew you'd be hungry and I was too and you know, gotta eat something and I hope you like soup and sandwiches cuz I'm not the greatest cook, most of my efforts come out, well...soup." Willow chuckled nervously at the double entendre, which was not lost on Tara either; eliciting a wide grin from the thankful blonde.

"Willow, this is all so sweet, thank you." Tara smiled warmly, looking deep into Willow's sparkling green eyes. Their gazes locked for a long moment before Willow finally blinked; breaking the trance before she melted into a puddle right there on the dining room floor.

"You're welcome Tara," Willow said shyly and motioning towards one of the vacant chairs, "Hey, let's eat before the soup gets cold."

They both sat and began to dig into their food; eating in a comfortable silence for several minutes.

"So, how was algebra? Did you bring your book home?" Willow asked.

Tara nodded, "It was good, I was actually able to participate a little. I mean, I sorta understood what she was talking about for a change and yes, I brought the book...oh masterful one!"

Willow grinned happily, "You're not as bad at algebra as you think you are."

Tara vehemently shook off the comment, "No, I'm worse."

"Tare, come on, don't do that. You're really smart, you just don't give yourself enough credit."

The tone on Willow's voice was genuine, but Tara simply shrugged her shoulders. _If Willow only knew how dumb I really am when it comes to all things math, she would not be saying that._

"Hey, I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong? Because you know how my foot lives in my mouth."

The anxious look on Willow's face was so endearing that Tara couldn't help but smile. "No, I just had a crappy afternoon is all."

"After the library?" Willow asked, hoping it wasn't because of her.

Tara nodded and slouched back in her chair with half a sandwich. "I uh, sort of got into it with Cordy on my way to class. She was um...she was kind of mean."

"Oh," Willow's eyes narrowed, she was starting to feel her anger building. It was the feeling she got whenever that particular name was mentioned. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Tara exhaled deeply, contemplating whether she should or not, but Willow was just so easy to talk to and she really needed someone to talk to. First, however, there was something else she needed to do. She placed the half eaten half sandwich back on her plate, sat up straighter and turned to face Willow.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh? For what?" Willow asked. Tara now had her full attention.

"Well, for s-starters, laughing at you that day at the Doublemeat, for not stepping up w-when the slushies were thrown, but mainly for the things I said that day at the w-water fountain."

"Oh..." Willow's heart grew heavy. There it was, finally, the apology she had been waiting for. _Sweet victory! Redemption at last!_ She thought. It was everything Willow wanted from the start and then some, but if it was so great, then why did she feel so bad?

Willow was torn, part of her didn't care anymore, but another part still didn't want to let Tara off the hook so easily. What Tara said was hurtful, on many levels and although Willow's feelings had changed dramatically, letting her off completely just didn't seem fair.

"I um, I said some really m-mean things to you and I'm so, s-so sorry. I-it wasn't something I planned on doing. I just started talking and the words started coming and...oh God, I'm such an ass! You're so not a loser, not even close and the stuff about your clothes...I actually think they're adorable and so very Willow and-"

"Tara," Willow interjected, not being able to sit silent while Tara beat herself up, "You're not an ass and I accept your apology."

"Why? You s-shouldn't, the way I treated you...you n-never did anything to me and I was h-horrible." Tara ducked her head as a lone tear slid down her cheek. She quickly raised a hand to wipe it away.

"Yes, what you did was wrong, but I do accept your apology," Willow repeated, "It really does mean a lot."

"But...you don't forgive me-"

"Tara..."

"No, i-it's okay. I know I'm gonna have to earn your trust and I-I'm trying and I just h-hope that one day...one day you will forgive me."

_Oh God, she's stuttering so badly. One day? Does she want to be...friends?_ Willow's head was spinning and her heart aching for Tara, despite the conflicting emotions. "One day?"

Tara nodded, "I would really like to be your friend...if y-you'll let me. I mean, I think we're already there, but I just wasn't sure exactly how you felt about it..." Her words trailed off as she looked hopefully at Willow.

"I'd like that, but-"

"But..." Tara echoed.

"What about school? If Cordy see's you talking to me, they'll be consequences."

Tara nodded, "That's actually what caused our little disagreement."

"Me?! Oh Tara, I'm sorry I-"

"No Willow, you don't ever have to apologize. Not where she is concerned, ever. Anyway, she saw us coming out of the library and one thing lead to another and she accused me of 'slacking,' threatened to kick me off the squad and uh, s-she um, also t-threatened to call off our deal." Tara's head dropped, she couldn't bear to see the disappointment in Willow's eyes.

Willow sighed deeply, "Tara I'm...I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I said those hateful things to you that day in the parking lot, for trying to blackmail you and using your child against you. I...I don't care if she calls off the agreement. I'll never tell, ever, I promise. You can trust me-"

"I do," Tara interrupted, looking up with vulnerable watery eyes and nodding her head. "I do," She whispered. "I just...the truth is, I can't bare to see her hurt you anymore. You're...you're very special Willow."

"Oh, I'm not...I'm definitely nothing special."

"No, you are." Tara said meaningfully, looking directly into a sea of green.

Willow gasped and felt as if all the oxygen was sucked out of her lungs. [i]She thinks I'm special?[/i] Willow was slightly embarrassed, yet thrilled at the same time. Especially with the way Tara was looking at her.

"Tara, it's okay if we don't talk in school. I don't want you on Cordy's bad side, not that she even has a good side, but still..."

"Willow it's not that I..."

"I mean that's totally fine. It's good. It's better." Willow said nervously.

"Willow, I never...I mean, it's not like I'm afraid to be seen with you...it's just..."

"I get it Tara, I do. It's probably safer for us both."

Tara sighed, knowing this was completely absurd. How could she _not_ acknowledge Willow? "How about we just act normal and take things one day at a time? You know, just go with the flow? I don't want to be afraid to say hi or vice versa. Grrr, this is all so ridiculous!"

Tara's cute little growl caused Willow to chuckle, lightening up the mood considerably. "So, it's okay then...to say hi or talk if we run into each other?" Willow asked tentatively.

"Absolutely, we're friends and that's what friends do." _I won't let her hurt you anymore_. Tara vowed silently.

Willow nodded and smiled, "Okay Tare...one day at a time."

Tara returned the smile, "Hey, let's finish eating, I have things far scarier than Cordelia to worry about right now anyway."

"What could possibly be scarier than that?" Willow asked sarcastically.

"Algebra."


	13. Chapter 13

_**Hey All! Thanks so much for all the lovely comments:) Keep 'em coming!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 13**_

The next few weeks seemed to fly by since their talk and consequent apologies. Things between them had definitely changed and not a day went by without them talking at school, eating lunch together in the library, or at the very least texting. Both of them were enjoying their new friendship immensely. Willow was staying busy with the two jobs and helping Tara with the algebra. She was exhausted most of the time and for the first time in her academic career, was having trouble keeping up; especially since Chelsea started crawling.

The majority of the time she was with the adorable infant, she spent chasing her around the house and keeping her out of trouble. As the little girl became more active, the less time Willow had to spend studying. She finally started taking her for walks around the neighborhood in her stroller; stopping at her house so her Mom could watch Chelsea while she did homework.

If Sheila was bothered by Willow's frequent pitstops, she never complained. In fact, she'd become quite fond of the sweet baby and secretly looked forward to the visits.

Tara had also been busy, for many of the same reasons, but most of the time her mind was occupied with a certain babysitter. She felt lighter since apologizing to Willow, as if a great weight had been lifted. It was a long time coming and now with that out of the way, she could focus on other aspects of their blossoming friendship. Like for example, the non-friendly type feelings she was experiencing towards the cute redhead. She was seeing Willow in a whole new light.

Tara especially enjoyed their Thursday night study sessions. Sitting in such close proximity to the girl during these sessions had proven difficult and staying focused on the task at hand even more so, but somehow she managed to get through it. Every time their arms brushed or their knees bumped, it sent an army of butterflies marching through her stomach. Every nerve in her body seemed to be on high alert. It was all very confusing. She'd only dated boys, she had a baby and now she was entertaining naughty thoughts of the female variety. A very cute, very smart redheaded female that was currently speaking.

"The sky is green and the grass is blue," Willow said.

"Oh okay, that sounds right," Tara replied, having not the slightest idea what Willow said. She'd been too busy focused on the movement of Willow's rosy lips to actually hear anything that came out of them.

Willow grinned goofily.

"What?" Tara asked, realizing she'd been caught staring and now starting to blush furiously.

"You have no idea what I just said!" Willow teased.

"Y-Yes I do...something about color charts?" She said weakly.

Willow snorted with laughter, "I think I broke you," She said as she closed the book and began to gather her things.

Tara joined in the laughter and ran a hand through her hair, "Well, what do you expect? Letters aren't meant to be added! It's just not right."

"Well, maybe so, but I still think you're gonna ace that test tomorrow!"

Tara half smiled at her friend's enthusiasm. "I don't know about that, but I do feel more confident." Tara glanced sideways at the clock, "Oh my gosh, Willow it's midnight! Crap! Are you gonna be in trouble?"

"Tare, why do you always think I'm gonna be in trouble?"

"I don't know, it's just late and I don't want your parents to think I'm a bad influence or something."

"It's fine," Willow assured the girl, lying a warm reassuring hand on her arm, "I told my Mom I'd be late. She knows where I am, but I do need to get going. Will you call me tomorrow, after the test and let me know how you did?"

Tara nodded, slightly giddy from the brief contact, "Okay. Oh, before I forget, tomorrow night is the last game of the season and well, the last football game _ever_ for us seniors and anyway, there's um, an after party for the squad or something and I was wondering if you could stay? W-With Chelsea until..." Tara's voice trailed off.

"Oh, um...I guess I can. How late?" Willow's face fell immediately.

"I dunno really, but the game won't be over until nine-ish and then the party thing so it'll be...late. I mean, it's n-no big deal if you can't. I was just wondering."

Willow shrugged and nodded, "Sure, who um, who all's going to the party?" Willow asked curiously, but trying not to sound too obvious.

"The senior cheerleaders and some of the football players. I don't r-really know." Tara wanted nothing more than to change the subject, she could see the apprehension and what looked like hurt in Willow's eyes. _Of course she's hurt dummy. She's a senior and it's her last football game too. Then you go and throw a party she wasn't invited to in her face. When are you ever going to get it Tara._

Willow, on the other hand, had no idea what she was feeling. It was a cross between disappointment, envy and good old fashion jealousy.

Willow's jealousy was two-fold. She had always wanted to attend a 'popular' party, but was never invited. Then at some point, she realized it just wasn't worth the worry, but it still didn't stop the jealous twinge she was feeling at the moment. After analyzing her thoughts for a few seconds, she came to the conclusion it wasn't about the party; it was about Tara. She would be there with other friends, more specifically friends of the male variety. The large, hunky football male variety and that just wasn't sitting well with Willow. She definitely needed more information, but was afraid to ask; she wasn't sure she actually wanted _all_ the details. Unfortunately, her mouth won the silent argument.

"So, do you have a date to the party?" She asked nonchalantly.

Tara shook her head, "No, no date." Willow was relieved. "But I was asked and I still m-might...I'm not sure." Tara said as she ducked her head. She didn't _really_ want to go with anyone to the party, but she also didn't want to be the only one there without a date either.

"Oh, anyone I know?" She asked trying to sound chipper, even though her stomach was tied in knots.

"Do y-you know Scott?"

Willow cocked her head, "Scott Hope?" Tara nodded. "Not personally, but he's in my AP biology class. He seems nice. Why don't you want to go out with him?" Willow could not believe she was having this conversation. She didn't want Tara to be dating anyone, ever, but she couldn't seem to put a halt to the endless supply of questions currently circulating through her busy brain. Did Tara want to date a boy or a girl or anyone at all?

Again Tara shrugged, "He is, but I-I don't know. Like I said before, I don't really have the time."

"Hey come on, sure you do. I think it'll be good for you to get out there again." Willow was proud how she was able to sound convincing, yet inwardly chastising herself. _You're encouraging her to date. What the frilly heck is wrong with you? Well, we are just friends and friends are supportive, right?_ The argument and confusion in Willow's head continued.

Tara was crushed. She wasn't sure what she expected. She thought or hoped that Willow was experiencing similar feelings towards her, but now, in the wake of her statement...Tara was pretty sure they were only friends and nothing more. Otherwise, she wouldn't be pushing her to go out with Scott.

Tara nodded slightly, "Maybe I'll just catch up with him at the party or something, that way it wouldn't be like a real date. Anyway," Tara said abruptly, forcing an end to the conversation, "I guess you need to go and I need to get some sleep."

Willow nodded, allowing Tara to walk her to the door. The atmosphere between them was quiet and tense. What had started out as a promising evening, had turned into an uncomfortable silence with a heaping side of confusing feelings. An invisible wall was erected, maybe they were only meant to be friends. Maybe all this conjecture was simply just that. Pure speculation without any merit to back it up. As Willow walked out into the cool dark night, she decided that it was time to figure out what she was feeling...once and for all.

* * *

Willow had never had a 'girl-type-friend' before, there'd only been Xander and Jesse, so maybe this was how it is between girls. She really had no idea and nothing to measure it against. As Willow lay in bed after coming home from Tara's, she thought about her relationships with the only other two 'girl-type-friends' she had, Amy and Anya. She thought about what it would be like to touch them, to kiss them and immediately cringed at the thought. _Yuck!_ In fact, she didn't get very far at all; the thoughts were just too horrifying.

Willow shifted her mind back to Tara and decided to think about doing those things with the blonde instead. At least now she had _something_ to measure it against; even if it was an unpleasant something. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to wander. She imagined Tara descending upon her; plump moist lips crushing into her own and the feel of Tara's naked curvaceous body...her arousal was almost immediate. She slid her hands under her shirt and brushed her palms across two taught nipples. Willow moaned quietly and when the throbbing between her legs became unbearable, she slid a hand down her stomach and under the elastic of her pajama bottoms. She was startled, but happy to find herself completely soaked. One thought kept circulating through her mind.

_Tara..._

Willow smiled, enjoying the slickness, sliding her finger back and forth, faster and faster until...her body began to shake and she clinched her teeth. Her back arched and she squeezed her nipple as she came hard against her hand.

Willow collapsed on the bed, panting hard. "Wow," She whispered..."That was so...intense." A lazy smile graced her lips as she turned onto her side; pulled her stuffed puppy to her chest and drifted off to sleep with happy thoughts of a certain blonde.

* * *

Just as the bell rang for lunch, Willow folded the note and smiled as she tucked it into her pocket. She secured her backpack over her shoulders and headed down the hall to drop the note in Tara's locker, hoping the blonde would get it before her math test. She realized she could have just texted Tara, but she knew a hand written note was a more personal gesture.

"Hey Wilster! Where you headed?" Xander exclaimed as he ran up from behind her and fell into step.

Willow's brow furrowed. _Damn it!_ "Oh hey Xand, just um...I-I needed to get something out of my locker before lunch." The last thing she wanted was for Xander to see her dropping off the note and instigating a barrage of questions.

"But your locker is the other way. Say, you didn't fall and hit your head or something, did ya?" He asked with a wry grin.

Willow smiled sheepishly, trying to figure out a better fib to tell Xander. "Oh yeah, I guess I wasn't paying attention."

"Well, I think I should turn you around and get you back on the right track," He said as he frantically grabbed her elbow and attempted to turn her around.

"Hey! Easy with the hands. What's gotten into you? It's no big deal, I'll just go the long way around." Willow was starting to get irritated with her best friend.

"What do you mean?" Xander said nervously.

"I mean I'll keep going in this direction until I eventually run into my locker. What are _you_ doing over here anyway?" Willow thought he was acting strange and decided to turn the focus off of herself and on to him, knowing he would crumble under the pressure.

Xander threw his hands in the air and indignantly slapped them to his sides, "Geez Will, can't a guy look out for his best friend? So, this is what I get for trying to help."

"Um, blowing things out of proportion much?" Willow responded.

"Sorry, sorry. Hey, no big deal...I'm just gonna..." He trailed off as he started walking away backwards, "I'll see you in a few, at lunch that is..." He gave Willow a small wave, turned and rushed off in the opposite direction.

_Well, that was weird._ Willow was definitely caught off guard by Xander's odd behavior and nearly forgot about her mission, until she felt the sharp corners of the note poke her leg from the inside of her pocket. She turned and walked quickly to Tara's locker and slid it through one of the slats. She moved away rapidly, rounding the corner a corner and running straight into Cordelia.

"God, you are such a klutz!" Cordelia exclaimed as she bent to pick up a book.

"S-Sorry, I um...I didn't uh...expect to see anyone over here during lunch. I thought you guys always went out..."

Cordelia did a trademark eyeroll, "It doesn't matter what _I'm_ doing here. What are _you_ doing here? Geek lockers are on the other side of the school."

Willow's emotions were at war. Part of her wanted to shrink inside herself and slip away. The other part was sick to death of the bullying cheerleader. Luckily she was in a good mood and her butch side won out. Willow stood up straight and squared her shoulders, "I go to this school too Cordy, I can be wherever I want to be and I don't have to answer to you about it." Willow said as she brushed past the bitchy girl and headed towards the quad. Leaving Cordelia with her mouth agape and Willow with a huge satisfied smile stretching across her face.

* * *

A little while later, still grinning, Willow dropped down on the bench next to Jesse with her lunch.

"Hiya Jesse!" She exclaimed happily.

"Hey, what's with all the grinnage?" Jesse replied curiously.

"Well, I basically just told Cordy to shove it." Jesse raised his eyebrows. "Okay, not in those exact words, but the meaning was clear. What's happening here? Where's the _love birds._" Willow asked sarcastically.

Jesse nodded towards the other side of the quad. "They've been going at it for the last few minutes. Xander was a little late and Anya went ballistic."

"He was acting a little strange when I saw him earlier. Have you noticed anything different?" Willow asked Jesse.

"Huh? No, not really. Same old Xander. Hey, did you see that!?" Jesse practically shouted.

"See what?"

"That girl, she winked at me."

"Jesse I don't think-"

"Hey, I'm sorry Will, but I gotta go." Jesse said as he bolted from the bench to chase down the girl, leaving Willow alone with nothing but a sandwich to keep her company.

A few minutes later Xander and Anya finally stopped arguing long enough to eat their lunch; making for an awkward and quiet situation. Shortly thereafter, Jesse returned as well. He sat on the ground despondently; announcing that it was a false alarm and sporting a suspicious red mark, shaped like a hand, on his left cheek.

"Hey," Willow said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "Is anyone planning on going to the football game tonight?" For a brief second she thought she heard crickets, as they all just stared at her blankly. "Well, don't everyone talk at once..."

The silence was broken when Jesse began laughing. "Ha, Good one Will! You really had us there for a minute."

"Um, I wasn't kidding. See, it's the last game of the season and I kinda wanted to surprise Tara and bring her little sister. Plus, it's the last one of our high school career and I thought it might be fun...or not..."

Anya shrugged, "All those testosterone fueled jocks chasing around a ball all night, it's just dumb and serves no purpose. If they were chasing money...now that would be interesting."

"Not everything is about money, Anya." Willow scoffed.

"Well, it should be," Anya replied indignantly.

"Will, not to be Mr. Buttinsky, but why the sudden urge to do something nice for a Cordette?" Xander asked.

"Well, she might be a Cordette by day, but away from school Tara is...she's um, she's pretty cool. I just thought..."

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing Will, just a thing. Anyway, I'm in." Xander said gleefully.

Anya pipped up next, "Well, if he's going, I'm going."

"Me too!" Jesse added.

Willow grinned broadly, "Great! We'll all meet at the ticket counter out front." Just as Willow finished, the bell rang and they all headed in opposite directions. Saying their goodbyes and agreeing to meet before the game.


	14. Chapter 14

There's a ton of predictions in last chapters comments, so I'm going to leave them alone and keep you all guessing:) Mean, I know, but you won't be disappointed. I will say one thing to Tanner12...yes, the phrasing was deliberate. This Tara is kind of like canon Willow. Whereas Willow had Oz in the show, this time around things are opposite. To some extent. Maybe things will go bad at the game, but maybe they won't. Read on, my friends...read on:)

* * *

_**Chapter 14**_

Willow paced impatiently, just inside the front gate, waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive. When she'd told Jen of her plans, she agreed that it was a great idea and gave Willow her permission to drive with Chelsea. Willow was still paranoid however and instead asked Sheila to drive them. She was a good driver, but somehow felt safer with her mom behind the wheel. She would never forgive herself if something happened.

The redhead surveyed the items in the stroller and went over her mental checklist again. She'd spent all afternoon meticulously packing anything and everything they may need. She'd even gone as far as to pack the Ipecac, just in case. As more people began to file in, Willow decided she couldn't wait any longer. There was no assigned seating and she wanted a good spot, up close near the railing. She parked the stroller at the bottom of the ramp, gathered the over stuffed diaper bag, picked up Chelsea and headed in.

Since she was so early, Willow found five seats right in the front row and began to spread out her things so no one else would sit there, hoping the rest of the group arrived soon. Chelsea happily bounced on Willow's knee, ardently sucking her pacifier while in awe of the bright lights; taking in her surroundings while the redhead babbled.

"Look Chels, see all the people down there and the lights? Pretty cool huh? This is a football game and soon it's gonna get pretty loud, but you don't have to worry because I thought of that already. See? I brought you some ear muffs and a cap to keep them on. Actually, I'm not even sure why I have them..." Willow trailed off as she wondered exactly why she would own a pair of ear muffs in southern California, when she noticed some movement out of the corner of her eye. "Hey look, I see your Mommy! Oh wow..."

Willow's eyes became glassy as she watched with rapt fascination as Tara emerged onto the field. The blonde dropped her gym bag and began to shuck off her sweatsuit, revealing the skimpy cheer uniform underneath. Tara folded up the articles of clothing and bent down to stuff them into her bag and Willow nearly collapsed. She actually reached her hand out and gripped the rail to brace herself.

"Oh what a sweet baby you have! Goochie, goochie, goo!" Willow was snapped from her ogling by a large arm reaching in front of her that was attached to an equally large woman.

"Huh?" She looked up to see the woman reaching towards Chelsea's cheek. She quickly leaned back just before contact, annoyed that this woman would disrupt her moment of swooning and attempt to touch the baby without permission. "Oh yeah, thank you."

"She just looks like the happiest little thing..." As the woman continued to ramble, Willow's eyes fell back on the field and she resumed _Tara watching_. The girl looked beautiful and Willow couldn't seem to peel her eyes away. Since her vivid fantasy the prior evening, she had not been able to get Tara off her mind.

The woman was finally called away by her husband and Willow smiled politely. "Geez, talk much?" Willow grumbled under her breath. "Oh hey, she's looking this way! Wave to Mommy!" Willow exclaimed as she waved the infant's hand in Tara's direction.

Tara caught the movement and at first was puzzled until she realized who was waving, and then a huge grin spread across her face. She jumped up and jogged to the sideline; removed the chain to the gate, trotted up the ramp and into the stands where Willow was sitting with Chelsea.

"Hey," Willow said shyly with a little wave. _A minute ago I was all with the woo hoo and now all I have is a little 'hey?' Smooth Willow, real smooth._

"Hi!" Tara said gleefully. "What are you guys doing here?" Tara sat down, close to Willow and scooped up her little girl; planting butterfly kisses across Chelsea's rosey cheeks.

"Surprised?"

"Yes, very. I can't believe it!" Tara squealed. "I um, I got your note. Thanks for the encouragement, I think I did well. Did you get my text?"

Willow nodded, "Yeah, sorry I didn't see it until later and I was trying to get everything ready to go and...oh, wait! I have another surprise for you." Willow grabbed the diaper bag and began to rummage through until she finally emerged with a small digital camera. "Ah ha!" She proclaimed proudly; waving the device in the air.

Tara's eyes grew wide, "Really?!"

Willow nodded with a bright smile as Tara unzipped Chelsea's jacket to reveal the matching cheer outfit.

"Oh Willow..." Tara was overcome with emotion and her eyes began to tear up. Tara was certain now, Willow was the sweetest person on the planet and when she looked up at the green eyes staring back, her heart melted. It was that moment, that small insignificant moment in the stands of a high school football stadium that Tara knew exactly what she wanted.

Tara lunged forward and gripped Willow in a tight, one armed hug. "Thank you," She whispered in Willow's ear. Brushing a soft kiss against her friend's cheek before pulling away. At that moment, Tara didn't care who saw them together, because all she could see was Willow.

Willow was floored by Tara's actions, the hug had been wonderful. Tara was warm and soft and smelled oh so good. Then there was the impromptu kiss. The way Tara held on to her tightly and pressed her lips against Willow's skin. She could still feel the tingle and it was making her downright giddy.

"Your welcome. Hey, how about you guys stand over here, so I can get the field in the background."

Tara nodded, and stood grinning with her daughter in the adorable matching outfit. It was a beautiful moment and from the look on Tara's face, Willow knew she'd done well. Tara kissed Chelsea on the forehead and closed her eyes in a genuine show of affection as Willow continued to take pictures. Finally, Tara turned to the babysitter and pointed a finger in Willow's direction, curling it upward and beckoning the redhead closer. To which Willow happily complied.

"C'mere, let's get a picture of the three of us." Tara said, catching Willow completely by surprise.

"Okay." Willow replied. She stood, sort of awkwardly next to Tara, not really knowing for sure what she should be doing when Tara snaked an arm around Willow's waist; pulling her close.

The three squeezed together as Willow held the camera at arms length to take the picture. She reviewed the image and pouted. "I cut Chelsea off, let's try it again."

"How about we put her in the middle?" Tara suggested.

Willow smiled, "Great Idea!" The redhead exclaimed and Tara shifted Chelsea to her other arm while Willow closed the gap, sliding an arm around Tara this time and pulling her close. The second time was the charm as both girls reviewed the picture giving it their approval.

"So, how long do you think you might stay?" Tara asked.

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno, as long as Chelsea can last, I guess."

Tara nodded in agreement, "Probably not very long, I doubt she makes it to halftime."

"Well, I'll let you know before we go with covert hand signals or something," Willow said as she waved her arms wildly in front of her causing Tara to breakout in giggles.

"Oh yes, very subtle. Better be careful or they'll think you are giving secret signals to the visiting team," Tara quipped.

"Only if it was baseball..." The redhead responded coyly. Tara quirked an eyebrow. "What? I'm a fan and if by fan I mean not at all, but I do think all their little signals are kinda cute."

Tara heard a whistle on the field and was abruptly brought back to reality. Suddenly going out to cheer was the last thing she wanted to do at the moment. Staying with Willow and Chelsea was a much more inviting option. She was beginning to regret her promise to attend the after party.

"Well, I guess I gotta go," Tara said sadly.

"I know. Have fun or good luck or whatever...I'm not really sure," Willow chuckled.

Tara laughed at Willow's silliness and handed Chelsea back; giving her daughter one last kiss on the cheek. Tara reached down, grasped Willow's free hand and locked eyes, "Thank you again Willow, you...you totally made my night." She said sincerely, giving Willow's hand a tight squeeze before letting go.

"Bye," Tara whispered shyly as she turned and headed back down towards the field.

"Bye..."

* * *

Tara trotted back out to the field feeling like her feet were barely touching the ground. Willow's heartfelt gesture was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for her. She joined several girls from the squad as they prepared for the opening kick-off.

Back in the stands, Chelsea was a bit fussy after being separated from her mommy and Willow was busy trying to get her settled. When she heard her name being called from behind. She didn't really need to turn her head, she'd know Xander's voice anywhere, but she did anyway and saw her best friend excitedly trotting down the stairs with Anya and Jesse in tow.

"Hey Willow! You're never gonna believe it!" Xander shouted.

"Xander, where have you guys been? We were _supposed_ to meet almost an hour ago, the game's about to start."

Jesse crossed in front of Willow, tripping over the diaper bag and caused a spectacle. This prompted Willow to scoot in, sandwiching her between the two boys and leaving Anya on the aisle; ardently munching on a bag of popcorn.

"Wow, cute kid! Goochie goo!" Jesse said as he tickled Chelsea's chin with an outstretched finger, eliciting a round of giggles from the infant. "Hey, she likes me! Can I hold her?"

Willow grimaced, "Um, I don't know...maybe later, okay?" Jesse shrugged, he'd already lost interest and set his sights on the girl next to him. "Good grief," Willow mumbled.

"I don't know Wills, she is pretty cute. I bet Jesse could probably score with that chick if you let him hold her for a few minutes." Xander commented with a serious face.

"Xander! She is not a way for you guys to 'pick up chicks,' geez. Hey, you never answered my question, where have you been?"

"Oh! You're never going to believe it."

"Yeah, you already mentioned that. Get on with it," Willow growled as she grew frustrated with her friend.

Anya took that moment to lean forward and join the conversation, "He got a van," she said matter-of-factly and went back to devouring her popcorn.

"Anya! I said I wanted to tell Willow!" Xander whined.

"Wow Xander, that's great! I'm so happy for you." Willow leaned forward and gave her friend a one armed hug. "I guess your cousin came through for you after all."

"Yep! I am the proud owner of a vehicle and you know what that means?" Willow shook her head. "It means...no more walking to school for us, no more skateboards or bikes or drop off's by parents. No siree! I get to park in the lot with everyone else and we arrive in style!" The latter caused a chuckle from the redhead. She'd already seen the van, and style was the least descriptive word that came to mind. "So you be ready bright and early Monday morning, because operation [i]Xan-mobile[/i] is in full swing." He announced proudly.

Willow started to say something, but was cut off by the marching band starting to play and the big grand entry of players on to the field. Willow quickly reached into the diaper bag to retrieve the earmuffs and place them over Chelsea's ears as she protectively snuggled the infant to her chest.

"So Wills, I'm impressed," Xander said as the noise began to die down.

"With what?" Willow replied, removing a bottle from the bag when she noticed Chelsea becoming fussy again.

"You're like all with the mommy stuff." Willow shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, how did you know to bring those earmuffs?"

"It's instinctual," Anya chimed in again, "All humans have it built in, well except maybe you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Xander questioned indignantly.

"It means, you have no instinct Xander. Willow automatically knows what the baby needs, you should automatically know what I need, but you are completely clueless. You're more like a caveman that hasn't evolved yet." Xander sat with his mouth hanging open as Anya began to openly mock him. "_Me see girl. Me like girl. Me hit girl on head and drag back to cave._ If you had any real instinct, you'd see that I've been out of popcorn and you would already be in line to get me more."

That was when the argument began and the night took a turn for the worse. Jesse disappeared and Willow scooted as far from her squabbling friends as possible. She was really getting tired of their constant bickering. Luckily Willow had something more desirable to focus her attention on.

_Tara._

After Chelsea passed out, Willow sent Xander to detach the carseat from the stroller and bring it up in the stands. Since Jesse left, there was an open spot and she gently laid Chelsea in the seat; covering the top with a blanket. She was sure to keep one hand firmly grasping the side and gently rocking the seat, at all times, to ensure safety and sleepiness. She effectively shut out the bickering McBickersons by keeping her eyes trained on the blonde cheerleader and playfully doing little hand signals whenever she caught Tara's eye. Willow was enjoying their little game.

When Anya finally left for a bathroom break, Xander looked at his best friend and smiled. "You're gonna make a great mom some day Wills."

Willow's face grew warm at the compliment. "Thanks Xan. It's easy when you have a great kid."

"Uh, you do realize that she's not yours, right?"

"Of course! I meant in general, duh." Willow played it off, but she was smart enough to see the Freudian slip. Maybe she was getting too attached to the little girl.

"Oooh hey, almost halftime and that means lot's of dancing girls in short skirts!" Xander was practically jumping out of his seat in anticipation.

Willow snorted, "Better not let Anya see the drool. What's the deal with you two anyway? Shouldn't you be all kiss-y and less fight-y?"

Xander slumped, "I guess, she's just so, so...needy all the time."

"Oh, you mean needy as in, she'd like to have five minutes of your undivided attention and not have you chasing everything in a skirt needy?"

"Come on Wills, that's not fair. I chase tight jeans and short shorts too." He replied with a cheesy grin.

Willow slapped his arm playfully and shook her head. "Hey, I'm taking off after halftime. It's getting chilly and she's eventually gonna wake up cranky and not want to go back to sleep."

"Uh huh," Xander said absently and staring forward.

Willow noticed that Xander was most definitely staring at a single location on the field. She tried to follow his line of sight, but there were just too many people for her to single out exactly what or who he was staring at so intently. Something was definitely going on with him.

After the halftime show, Tara once again appeared in the stands. "Hey Willow!"

"Oh, hey Tara! Wow, you were great! You can um, you can really dance."

Tara's cheeks flushed red, "Thanks. Hi Xander." Tara said, throwing him a shy wave and receiving one in return; then turning her attention back to Willow. "How's she holding up?" The blonde asked as she took a quick peek under the cover at her sleeping daughter.

"She's an angel."

"Good, I'm glad she didn't give you too much trouble."

"None at all, really. She was perfect." _Just like you._

Tara glanced behind her towards the field, "So, I guess I gotta get back. Just wanted to come up and say hi again."

"Hi," Willow jokingly waved and was rewarded with a sweet half smile from Tara.

"You're a goof. So, I'll see you later?"

Willow wasn't sure if she meant later in the game or later after the game. "Oh um, my mom is on her way to pick us up."

"Oh okay, I meant after-after," Tara suddenly grew embarrassed.

"Oh yeah, I knew that. I just thought I'd let you know we were leaving." Willow was disappointed, she'd secretly been hoping that Tara would just come home after the game. Forget all about the party and come hang out with her in their PJ's and eat ice cream all sunggled on the couch while they watched a movie or The History Channel or a movie on The History Channel. Now she had to sit by herself and think about the possibility of Tara getting together with someone at the party. _Stupid Scott Hope_. She grumbled internally, having already seen him several times chatting up Tara on the sidelines between plays.

"Yeah, so I'll see ya."

Willow nodded and waved. It was going to be a long night.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Misshermine97:**_ So glad that you're enjoying my little fic:) It always makes me smile when I see feedback like yours! I hope you continue reading...lot's more to come!

_**Kristy:**_ Yay! Glad you like and there is plenty more to come:)

_**Spanish Girl:**_ Yes, Willow is about a zillion times better than Scott and I think Tara knows it as well. She just needs a little push. Xander is definitely up to something. We'll have to wait and find out just what he's up to.

_**Sydni-Dowell:**_ Me too!

_**Graq the Wild Child:** _I think it was their first 'family' photo together and an adorable one at that. I think Tara is finally starting to mature and is starting to see what _really_ matters. Xander and Anya, never were very mature, probably why they never got married. The bitchiness will continue, but something is about to give.

_**Boris Yeltsin:**_ Yay! Thanks!

* * *

Chapter 15

Tara stood in the far corner of the crowded room, nursing a soda and chatting with a small group of girls. She appeared to be relaxed and having fun on the outside, but the of guilt leaving Willow with her responsibilities while she enjoyed herself was setting in and in the fifteen minutes she'd been there, she'd checked her watch at least a dozen times.

_Just five more minutes. Make an appearance to the right people and I'm out of here._ With that thought she froze. _The right people?_ Tara glanced around the room, some of the people she considered friends but some, _most_, were just acquaintances. She knew them, but they weren't close, in fact, when she looked over the crowded room, it felt empty. _She_ felt empty like something was missing. As she began to explore that thought, she was snapped out of her trance with a soft touch on her shoulder.

"Hi Tara," Said a familiar deep voice, "Wow, you look great tonight."

"Hi Scott, thanks. Did um, did you just get here?" Tara replied, trying to make small talk, but starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah, the coaches kept us after the game for some rah, rah stuff," He shrugged his shoulders, "But, I'm here now, so...can I get you another drink?"

Tara smiled shyly, "Sure...thanks."

The boy smiled softly and started to leave, but suddenly turned back. "Um, what are you drinking?"

"Oh, it's just soda."

His eyebrows rose on his forehead, "Maybe with a little rum to go with it?" He asked hopefully.

"No, thank you. Just a plain old soda for me."

"Taaa-ra, come on. This was our last game, one of the last vestiges of our high school experience, don't be such a prude," He said, jokingly.

Scott may have appeared to be joking, but Tara knew he wasn't; she was feeling pressured and couldn't figure out exactly why he kept pushing. "Scott, really-" Tara was interrupted mid sentence when suddenly out of nowhere two arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind and were squeezing her tightly.

"Oh come on Tara, lighten up!" The girl said loudly, slightly slurring her words.

An annoyed look crossed Tara's face, "Get off me Buffy."

"You're no fun," The small blonde pouted, "You seriously need to loosen up, kick back and have some fun for a change. Right Scotty?"

"Buffy, I'm driving-"

"It's cool Tara, I can drive you home. Come on, just one drink?" Scott interrupted.

Tara was not only getting irritated, but starting to panic. Yes, she had driven herself to the party, but the real reason she wasn't drinking was because she was still nursing Chelsea. She could have easily accepted the offer for a ride or even walked home from where she was, but there was no way she would put her daughter at risk.

"I-I think I'm just going to go," Tara mumbled, starting to move towards the exit.

"Cordelia was so right!" Buffy threw in Tara's direction.

Tara stopped dead in her tracks and spun around. "What are you talking about?" She asked moving closer to Buffy.

The blonde giggled and began to sway slightly as a small group of kids gathered around to listen to what was quickly becoming a full on shouting match between the two. "Cordy said to keep an eye on you, that you were spending too much time in the company of that nerd and that it would start to rub off. It's not something I want to catch." She said, getting an agreeable laugh from the crowd.

Tara was becoming angry and her heart was pounding, "Shut up Buffy." Was her only response as the ringing in her ears became louder and louder.

"Wow, great come back Tara. Is that all you've got?"

"If I don't want to drink something, I'm not going to drink it. It doesn't make me a nerd!" Tara shot back. "Besides, she's not-"

Buffy snorted and reached her hand to steady herself against the wall but missed and started to fall forward.

"Buffy!" Tara shouted as she lunged, catching Buffy and preventing her head from hitting a small coffee table. "Are you okay?" She asked as she sat her friend upright.

"I don't feel so good Tare..." Buffy mumbled before leaning forward and throwing up all over herself and the carpeted floor.

A collective groan and a few giggles, came from the crowd that had gathered. As they began to disperse, not one person offered a helping hand.

"Gross!" Cordelia exclaimed as she approached to see what all the commotion was about. "You really need to learn how to hold your liquor Buffy."

Tara looked up to see Cordy and Harmony shaking their heads and giggling. "Hey, can you guys help me please?"

Cordy and Harmony looked at each other momentarily and then burst out laughing. "Are you crazy? Just sit her up in the corner and let her sleep it off. I'm not touching that mess."

"Cordy! She's our friend, we can't just leave her here!" Tara was horrified at the notion.

"Hey, I'm not her nursemaid. She needs to know her limit and that's not my problem." Cordelia spat, stepping over Buffy and walking away with Harmony on her heels.

"Hey Tara, we'll take care of Buffy." A dark haired boy offered.

"Yeah, Tucker and I can take her," Said another boy. The two looked at each other, sharing a snide smile and a laugh.

Tara was immediately suspicious, "Um no, that's okay. I got it."

"Aw come on Tara, we can handle her _just fine_," Tucker commented.

"I got it." Tara replied pointedly, apparently getting the message across as both young men began to retreat.

"I'll help you," Scott said, handing Tara some paper towels.

"Thanks," Tara said, accepting the offer and started to wipe Buffy's face. "I need to get her home. Can you help get her into my car?"

"Sure, but how are you going to get her in the house?" Scott replied.

"Oh..." Tara breathed. She hadn't really thought about much more than getting her away from the party and people snapping pictures on their cell phones, even though it was probably more than Buffy deserved. She lifted her wrist and glanced at her watch. Tara smiled slightly, knowing that Willow would still be there. "It's fine, I'll take her to my house and I'll have help when I get there."

"Are you sure, because I could-"

"I'm sure, thanks for the offer though." She replied. Tara was still a bit miffed with Scott for pushing her earlier, but he was being very sweet with his offer to help. So she let it go; chalking it up to typical high school behavior.

It took a few minutes, but they finally managed to get Buffy cleaned up enough to travel and loaded her into Tara's car. Tara buckled the inebriated girl into the front seat, locked and closed the door.

"Thanks again Scott, I really appreciate it and I'm sure Buffy does too."

"You're welcome. Wow, she really went down hill fast for just having a drink or two." Scott said.

"Yeah..." Tara mumbled glancing at Buffy through the car window, "Anyway, I guess I'd better get going. Thanks again."

Scott nodded; leaning in and hugging Tara goodbye. He squeezed Tara tight and when he finally let go, brushed a light kiss cross her cheek and catching the girl by surprise. She looked up shyly, he still hadn't let go and looked as if he was going to kiss her again; except this time Tara guessed it wasn't going to be a friendly kiss on the cheek.

Tara liked Scott. He was a nice guy, handsome, popular and easy to talk to; she felt comfortable around him and they were ascetically good match. There was absolutely no reason for her to not be attracted to him, but she wasn't. It was as if she was just going through the motions and doing what she thought she was supposed to do.

Scott pulled Tara to him and leaned in to kiss her lips. He was close, so close she could feel his breath on her face. She closed her eyes, thinking _this is how it's supposed to be_, when an image of Willow suddenly popped into her mind. Her adorable freckles, her emerald green eyes, her beautiful smile and the effects were immediate. A familiar army of fluttering wings exploded in her stomach and her face became hot and flushed. Tara's eyes shot open and she pulled back; simultaneously pushing Scott away.

"Oh hey, I'm sorry. I mean we haven't even gone on a proper date yet and here I am trying to kiss you," Scott grinned, trying his best to be charming. "It's just that, you're so pretty Tara and I...how about tomorrow night? There's a party at Larry's and we could get some food beforehand?"

Tara sighed, she just wasn't in the mood to deal with Scott making moves on her with her friend passed out drunk in the front seat of her car or him making any moves at all. Besides, what kind of a first date is 'getting some food' and then attending another drunken party?

"Scott, I like you. You're a nice guy and if you'd asked me a month ago I probably would have said yes but, there's someone else that-"

"It's Percy, right? Damn that guy." Scott lamented.

"Ummm no, definitely not Percy. I'm not even sure this...person, likes me back, but I have to figure it out. Going out with you would just complicate things and it wouldn't be fair, to you. I'm sorry." Tara rested a comforting hand on his arm, she really couldn't believe she was doing what she was doing. Any of her friends would jump at the chance to date the handsome and charming captain of the football team and here she was turning him down flat.

Scott nodded, giving Tara's hand a squeeze before letting go. "I get it, but if it doesn't work out, you know where to find me."

"Thanks again for helping me with Buffy."

"No problem, see ya Monday."

"See ya."


	16. Chapter 16

Spanish Girl- Yes, bye-bye Scottie...but will it be the last of him? Tara definitely owes Tara after saving her ass. More to come of that situation next. Thanks for the feedback!

Boris Yeltsin- Thanks:-)

Graq The Wild Child- I don't it was just alcohol that had Buffy so sick, but we may never know. Tara is definitely maturing and hopefully she'll soon let go of her popular girl worries. Yep, Xander & Anya were meant to be together. 'Hell's Bell's' still pisses me off every time I watch it. Thanks for the feedback!

tsslobt- Tara is a sweetie, no wonder Willow loves her! The people at the party are bothersome and I wrote that from a personal experience. It didn't happen to me, but I saw it happen at a HS prom and the girl's friends just stepped right over her. Sad. Anyway, thanks for the feedback!

Sydni-Dowell- I'd say she's lucky. Thanks for the feedback!

* * *

Chapter 16

Willow sat in the darkened living room, with her feet curled up on the couch watching TV. Only she had no idea what movie or if it was even a movie at all. She was completely lost within herself as visions of Scott and Tara together continued one after another. Like some sort of slideshow from hell. The later it got, the more anxious Willow became. She'd never experienced feelings of extreme jealousy like this before or had she?

Her mind wandered to Xander and if she felt this way when he started dating Anya or when he looked at other girls or made comments. _No_. Sure she was jealous, but it was different and not as all consuming and intense. Willow was starting to see the difference between the two and she was beginning to entertain the possibility that not only did she have _more than friendly_ feelings for Tara, but that those feelings had definite implications.

"Oh boy," Willow said out loud before siting up straighter. "Could I actually be gay? As in gay-gay?" She searched her mind for any previous signs and managed to conjure a long forgotten memory of a third grade teacher's aide, Miss. Cooper.

Miss. Cooper was doing a college internship and had made a habit of winking at Willow whenever she answered a question correctly. Willow remembered how she was smitten with the young teacher's aide and would always volunteer for special projects; just to be able to spend time with her. Willow also remembered being crushed when she saw the young woman kissing her boyfriend one day after school. "_Similar feelings..._" Willow mumbled to herself. She then switched her mind back to Tara. _Um hmm, definite feelings. Lesbian, gay type feelings_.

Willow was jarred from her thoughts by a loud noise that startled her. It was someone coming through the front door. She jumped up and made her way from the family room to the front of the house.

"Hey," Willow said as she saw Tara, looking disheveled and dumping her things on the floor by the door.

"Hi," Tara answered flatly. Willow could tell the blonde was moody and decided to stay quiet. Tara looked up and saw the apprehension on Willow's face and her voice softened slightly. "Sorry, I've just had one of those nights."

Willow smiled, nodding in acknowledgement, "Okay." She wasn't sure what Tara meant by that or if she even wanted to know. Her mind was still back in the family room and focused on the new revelation.

"Will, can you give me a hand with something?"

"Sure, what?"

"Follow me," Tara said as she marched back out the front door to the passenger side of her car and pointed. "It's more of a someone than a something."

Willow's eyes narrowed as she strained to look through the darkened window at the rumpled figure slumped in the seat. "Is that Buffy? What happened?"

Tara nodded, "She got drunk, threw up and passed out. Scott helped me put her in my car and I brought her home; her Mom's out of town."

[i]Scott.[/i] The mere mention of his name made Willow's skin crawl. Her eyes drifted to her feet and her brows knitted tightly as she involuntary began to fidget.

Tara noticed Willow's emotional shift, but decided to let it go for now. They definitely needed to talk, but now wasn't the time for deep conversations. "So, I'm gonna open the door and unstrap her and I figured we could each take a side."

Tara opened the door and Buffy involuntarily slumped forward. "Wow, she's really out of it. How much did she drink?" Willow observed.

"No idea. Okay she's unstrapped." Tara groaned as she struggled to get Buffy to sit up so she and Willow could hoist her out of the car. "Buffy! Buffy! Wake up!" Tara shouted as she lightly slapped Buffy's face.

The girl groaned and her head rolled backwards. "What's...where...ohhhhuuumphhhh." Buffy was incoherent, but was able to throw an arm around Tara's shoulder; allowing the blonde to lift her so Willow could take up her stance on the other side.

Once Willow was in place, they started to clumsily move forward, with Buffy half walking and half dragging her feet. Suddenly Buffy moaned loudly and lurched her head forward; projectile vomiting across the lawn.

"Ewwww, gross!" Willow exclaimed.

"Shit!" Tara said. "Buffy! Buffy! Damn it, come on, let's get her into the downstairs bathroom."

"Alright," Willow groaned as she struggled to help keep the girl upright.

Several minutes later the girls managed to get Buffy to the downstairs bathroom without any further incident. Buffy dropped immediately to her knees and threw up several more times in the toilet while Willow held her hair and Tara kept her head upright and over the toilet. When she was finally done, they sat her on the covered toilet as Tara wet a wash cloth and began to clean her face and wipe through her hair. She grabbed a hair-tie and pulled Buffy's long blonde hair back into a loose ponytail to keep it from falling into her face; just in case she needed to throw up again.

"Here," Willow said to Tara, returning from the kitchen, "I got her some of Chelsea's Pedialyte. She needs to stay hydrated or we're gonna have to take her to the hospital."

Tara looked up and smiled at the helpful redhead. "Thanks, good idea."

"Um Tare, not to throw a monkey wrench in here, but your Mom is due home in about thirty minutes." Willow reminded Tara, lightly tapping the face of her watch.

"I know. Buffy? Buffy? Here drink some of this. It'll make you feel better, okay?"

"Kay," Buffy moaned as Tara made her sip some of the liquid through a straw.

"Do you think you can make it upstairs?" Tara asked.

"Umm hmm...think so." Buffy replied, as she seemed to become a little more coherent.

"You think you're gonna get sick again?" Willow asked, but was met with Buffy shaking her head.

"Alright then, let's do this." Tara resumed her position on one side of her friend and Willow on the other as they attempted to get Buffy upstairs before Jen arrived home. It wasn't as if Tara didn't feel like she could tell her Mom, but she knew if she did, then Jen would feel obligated to tell Buffy's mother and she knew Buffy would never forgive her. Tara also knew that if Buffy got any sicker, then she would have no other choice. Buffy's life was more important than keeping this a secret. It took some time and crafty maneuvering, but they finally succeeded in getting Buffy into Tara's room. Unfortunately, with all the clanging and stumbling, they'd woken up Chelsea.

Tara pulled an air mattress out of her closet and left Willow to inflate it while she took care of her daughter. By the time she made it back, Willow had not only filled the mattress, but made the bed and had Buffy comfortably tucked in; with a trash can, clean washcloth and a bottle of water by her head.

"Wow, thank you." The blonde said, genuinely grateful for Willow's kindness.

"No problem, I figured you could use the help." Just as Willow finished, they heard Jen coming in the door downstairs. "Your Mom's home..." Willow said, stating the obvious.

Tara nodded, "Hey, why don't you spend the night? It's l-late and I um, I t-thought we could talk." Tara said shyly.

"Oh, well...where would I sleep?" Willow motioned to Buffy sprawled out on the air mattress.

Tara ducked her head, "You could um, s-sleep with me? You know, cuz my bed's a double and all. I would have put Buffy up here, but I didn't want to get barfed on." She giggled softly.

Willow couldn't help but grin. "Okay." Of course she would stay in Tara's bed! It was a no-brainer. Buffy was passed out cold and this would give her lot's of Tara-time. With minimal interruptions. Willow was slightly nervous, but giddy at the same time; two conflicting emotions the redhead was starting to get used to.

"Just let me give my mom a call."

Tara nodded, "I need to go let my Mom know too. I'll be right back. Oh um, you can wear these. You'll be more comfy."

Willow nodded, accepting the offer of a pair of Tara's pajamas the blonde had pulled out of her dresser drawer.

"Thanks."

* * *

Tara left the room and Willow called her mom before changing her clothes. The pj's were a little big, but Willow turned down the elastic waist band on the pants and knotted the shirt on the side; showing off a sliver of her tummy. By the time Tara got back Willow was already in the bed sitting cross legged and playing with her phone.

"Everything okay with your Mom?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, yours?" Willow nodded as Tara extended her hand. "I brought us sodas and popcorn," She said grinning playfully, "I guess, taking care of a drunk makes me hungry."

"You didn't eat at the at the party?" Willow asked.

Tara shook her head, "No, all I had was a soda. You never know what people put in open drinks or food at those parties. It was kind of a weird night." Tara sighed. The door was opening for the girls to talk without any distractions and Tara wanted to make sure she took advantage of the opportunity.

"Wha-What happened?" Willow stammered nervously.

"Nothing," Tara said, locking eyes with Willow. She wanted to make sure Willow knew that absolutely nothing happened.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me, I mean I know it's your personal business and I didn't mean to be so nosey and-"

"No, I mean [i]nothing[/i] happened...with, you know..."

"Really?" Willow whispered in relief. "But I...I thought you liked him?" Willow held her breath.

Tara shrugged her shoulders, "I thought I might...I don't know. He's nice, but he kinda rubbed me the wrong way; not literally, of course."

Willow giggled, "Of course." To say she was relieved was the understatement of the century.

"Anyway, right before Buffy got sick, he was trying to get me to have a drink and I said no, but he didn't want to let it go and neither did Buffy. She was being a total bitch, then she suddenly threw up and Cordy wouldn't help me. She just stepped right over Buffy and never batted an eye. God, sometimes I really hate high school."

"Just sometimes?" Willow said sarcastically, "What did she say...Buffy I mean?"

Tara shook her head, "It doesn't m-matter." Tara ducked her head in a feeble attempt to spare Willow's feelings. Unfortunately for her, Willow wasn't stupid.

The redhead nodded, "It was about me again, wasn't it? Because they saw us together at the game, right?"

Tara sighed deeply, "They were just acting stupid, I can handle them."

"Tara, maybe I'm over stepping here but, why do you hang out with them? I mean, you...you're different."

Tara's head ducked again and her eyes went to the comforter as she picked at the fabric. She knew this question was coming and she'd been dreading it. What could she say? That she felt like she was just as shallow and vapid as the rest of them? That she'd friended them for personal gain? What could she say to Willow that wouldn't make her sound like a complete idiot and not send the girl running?

"Tara?" Willow whispered.

Tara shook her head, "I'm not," she whispered.

"What?"

"Different," Tara breathed, finally looking up to Willow with watery eyes.

Willow could see the pain and self loathing in Tara's eyes and desperately wanted to comfort her. She moved the bowl of popcorn from between them and reached out; placed a soothing hand on Tara's knee. "No, you are. You don't think you are but...you could have just left Buffy there, like Cordy did, stepped over her like she was trash-"

"That's not what I'm talking about," Tara interrupted, "I never could have left her there, that much is true, but you asked me why I'm friends with them." Willow stayed quiet and allowed Tara to continue. The blonde took a deep breath, "It's a long, complicated answer. You sure you're up for it?"

Willow gave Tara's knee a gentle squeeze. "You can tell me anything, you don't have to hide, okay?"

Tara nodded. "So, Cordy, Harmony and I go way back, to before I moved to Idaho back in junior high. We cheered together for the pee wee football league my brother played in and we all took dance classes together. It was fun and the only thing outside of the church my father would allow. Then we moved to this small town in Idaho so he could open his own church and try to control more than just his family. All I ever wanted was a 'normal' life, to fit in and not have every part of my life controlled. I wanted it so badly that I ended up doing things that I knew my father wouldn't approve of. I went to parties, stayed out late...you know, rebellious teenage stuff. Anyway, he clamped down pretty hard and that made me want to rebel even more. I started secretly dating this guy, Steven, he was pretty popular and his father was a big wig in local politics."

"How long did you date?"

Tara sucked in her bottom lip, trying to recall exactly how long before answering. She wanted to be completely honest with her friend. "Off and on for about a year, I think? Anyway, you can probably see where this is going." Willow nodded in agreement. "I was so angry with my father for taking me away from my friends and my life, I did everything I could that I knew he would disapprove of. Including sleeping with the son of his arch rival. Steven and I were in one of our [i]on[/i] periods and well, I-I thought I was being careful, but I guess not careful enough. Anyway, in a small town, everyone knows everyone else. So you can't really go up to the drug store and get condoms and there certainly isn't any Planned Parenthood locations."

Tara puffed her cheeks and blew the hair out of her face, before continuing. "I did things for all the wrong reasons and now...now Chelsea has to grow up without a father."

Willow's brow creased with concern as she took in the new information. She swallowed hard, terrified of the answer to her next question. "Did you love him?"

Tara shrugged her shoulders, "I thought I did, at the time, but not really. I stayed with him because...because it was all I had that was mine, you know? My Dad he...he controlled every part of my life and punished me severely for stepping the least bit out of line. I don't believe in his values or his teachings and when I got pregnant...he went completely over the edge." Tara paused, her hand slightly shaking and took a sip of her soda.

"What happened?" Willow asked. She was still confused and trying to make sense of everything Tara was telling her.

"Well, the shit hit the fan. I didn't show for a while and was able to keep the pregnancy a secret, but he found out when he intercepted a package of prenatal vitamins I'd ordered online."

"So no one knew?"

"Oh no, I told my Mom and Steven knew."

"So, where is Steven? He's not...I guess I don't understand." Willow said.

"When my Dad found out, he went ballistic and threw me out of the house. I went to Steven for help and his parents freaked. H-He um, h-he told them I was the town w-whore and that the b-baby wasn't his. He convinced them I made it up to get money."

"Tara, that's horrible and they believed him?"

Tara shrugged, "Sure, why not? They didn't want a big scandal. His Dad was running for congress."

Willow's eyebrows shot up, she was completely caught by surprise. This was like something out of a really bad soap opera; these things just didn't happen in real life.

"Congress?"

Tara nodded, "Yep, Congressman Richard Wilkins of the thirty-ninth district. No way he was going to have this get out, he's been in that town forever."

"So, if you left and your Mom stayed, how did you both end up here, together? I mean, you seem pretty close..."

"We are, after the disaster with Steven, I went back home and my Mom gave me enough money for a bus ticket to my Aunt's house in Oregon. Then she left my Dad, took the car and drove over a few weeks later. We stayed there until after Chelsea was born and then moved back here last summer. My grandmother passed away and she left my Mom the house and the car that I drive."

"Wow," Willow breathed. She was still having a hard time wrapping her head around everything that Tara had told her.

"I know, sometimes I can hardly believe it myself."

"I'm sorry."

Tara cocked her head, "For what?"

"For everything you had to go through. It must have been so scary and now here you are raising a child all on your own."

Tara flashed Willow her signature half smile, "Well, I'm not totally alone."

Willow caught her eye and smiled as her face turned bright red with the implications of Tara's statement. "You know what I mean." Willow said shyly.

Tara nodded, "My baby's worth it, I'd do anything for her."

"So, you never did answer my question..." Willow said coyly.

Tara smirked, "You're not gonna let it go are you?"

"Nope, I stand by my initial statement that you're not like them and it doesn't explain why you hang out with them. Tare, I know they're your friends, but even you have to admit...they're not firing on all cylinders."

Tara laughed, totally amused with the redhead. "About a month or so after we moved back, I ran into Cordy and Harmony at the mall. I was by myself with Chelsea and they were so happy to see me, it was just like old times. They um, they just assumed she was my sister and I never corrected them, especially after they invited me to join the squad. I never intended on lying about Chelsea, it just...happened. God Willow, I just wanted to fit in and have some semblance of a 'normal' life. I didn't want to be _that girl with the baby_. I wanted to just fall back into something familiar; I kind of went through a weird stage."

Willow looked at Tara curiously, "What do you mean?"

Tara sighed, "Well everything was fine at first and then I stated to realize...they weren't the same girls I knew before. They w-were different and in my desperate attempt to fit, I...I tried to be something that I'm not or rather _someone_ that I'm not. I got caught up and did - _said_, some things that I'm not very proud of."

Willow nodded, remembering back a few short months ago to their less than stellar run in at the water fountain. "So, why keep hanging out with them?"

"I'm beginning to wonder that myself," Tara said, laughing nervously. She was relieved to get it all off her chest, but also apprehensive and worried that it would somehow damage her delicate relationship with Willow.

"Tara?" Willow said, waiting for the blonde to make eye contact. "Thank you, for telling me."

Tara nodded, reached out and squeezed Willow's hand. "_Thank you_, for listening and um, for not judging me."

Willow squeezed back and then laughed, "Oh I've done plenty of judging, especially before I got to know you."

"And now?"

Willow looked up, meeting Tara's eyes and still holding her hand. "Now I see the _real you_ and she's smart and funny and a wonderful parent and she's...she's my best friend."

Tara's heart leapt into her throat as she took in Willow's words, she never seen a more sincere look on the redhead's face and as she blinked, a single tear trickled down her cheek.

Willow reached forward and wiped the tear away with the pad of her thumb. "C'mere," Willow said softly as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Tara's shoulders and hugged her close.

Tara was surprised by the suddenness of Willow's actions, but melted into the hug none the less. Willow was warm and soft and the best thing was that it was genuine hug, not just a quick and friendly everyday hug. It was meaningful and probably lasted longer than it should between two friends, but neither girl seemed to care.

Tara snuggled closer to Willow and whispered into her ear, "Your my best friend too."

Willow grinned widely and hugged Tara tighter. When their _more than friendly hug_ finally did end, both girls yawned simultaneously and then giggled.

"I'm sleepy," Willow said in as adorable little girl voice.

"Me too," Tara replied and wondered how in the world she would ever get through a night in a bed that close to Willow.


	17. Chapter 17

Hi All and Happy New Year!

I hope you all enjoy this chapter...getting closer every day!

* * *

Chapter 17

Willow stirred and squirmed, she wasn't used to waking up on her stomach. She wiggled the fingers on her right hand to find that her arm was tossed lazily above her head. Her eyes were still closed and she was enjoying waking slowly. She decided to move her left arm, only to find something holding it tightly. When she opened her eyes, she discovered it wasn't something, it was someone and that someone did not appear to be letting go anytime soon. Of course this was just fine with the redhead, who took the opportunity to explore the delicate features of the beautiful girl sleeping next to her.

Willow's mind shifted back to their conversation the night before and when they'd decided they were sleepy. They'd laid down, on their backs at first and then rolled on their sides to faced one another; their breath mingling. The conversation had been intense and Tara had bared her soul. The atmosphere was heady and both girls were feeling profoundly connected. Willow's hand was between them when Tara reached up and entwined their fingers together. Not a single word was spoken as they lay, staring at each other through the darkness and soon drifting off to sleep.

_Geez, I shouldn't be feeling the way I do, but I just can't help it. She's just so beautiful and kind and sweet and she's holding my hand and oh boy, I think I'm in love. How is that possible? A few months ago we were mortal enemies and now..._ Willow thoughts drifted, as her eyes traced the lines in Tara's forehead, down the gentle slope of her nose, across the high cheekbones, and eventually ending on her rosy lips. Willow savored the moment as the butterflies in her tummy took flight.

Willow couldn't resist any longer and began rubbing the back of Tara's hand with her thumb. Her skin was smooth and soft, not that Willow had any experience with hand holding and various skin textures, but she was pretty sure no one else's in the world felt as divine as Tara's. Willow was intently watching the motion of her thumb when she felt Tara begin to stir; looking up just in time to see her eyes flutter open.

The simple act of watching Tara awaken sent Willow's heart all a flutter. It was a weird feeling, like deja vu, but new at the same time. The newness of waking together and the sameness of their position; hands clasped and eyes locked as if time stopped the night before. Willow suddenly worried that maybe she'd gone too far with her ministrations, but Tara simply glanced at their intermingled fingers and smiled a sleepy lopsided smile spread across her face, causing Willow's cheeks to flush.

"Good morning," Tara whispered.

"Morning," Willow replied in a hush.

"Sleep well?" Tara asked, receiving a quiet nod from her redheaded bedmate. Tara's skin was beginning to tingle, as Willow intensely gazed at her through half lidded and slightly glazed eyes. Willow's lips quirked in a soft smile, it was a look of pure adoration and affection and Tara felt her insides turn to liquid. No one had ever looked at her like that before and Tara knew...Willow felt it too.

They were still in a hazy trance, their faces drifting ever closer, when a loud moan came from Willow's side of the bed and a wild clump of blonde hair slowly rose up from the floor.

"Buffy..." Willow whispered, reluctantly letting go of Tara and turning on to her other side. Both she and Tara propped themselves up on an elbow, slightly amused at Buffy's bedraggled appearance.

"Oooouuurrrggghhhh, where am I?" Buffy muttered, slowly turning towards the bed. "What...now I'm seeing nerds? I _must_ be dreaming."

Then, just like that, the bubble popped and reality came crashing down on Willow and her entire demeanor changed with in a matter of seconds. Her face dropped, her body slumped and she was rudely reminded of her outsider status. The warm fuzzy feeling, from just a short moment ago, was most definitely gone and now replaced by a cold tingle running down her spine. She'd never been more embarrassed.

"BUFFY, SHUT UP!" Tara shrieked in annoyance.

"Argh Tara...don't yell like that. My head...Tara?" Buffy was hungover, confused and her head was pounding. She had no idea where she was or how she'd gotten there.

For a split second all three girls grew quiet as they stared each other down. Buffy began to speak, but was interrupted by a crying baby. Not just crying, but shrieking; at the top of her lungs.

"Damn it," Tara muttered as she began to get up.

"I'll go," Willow said softly.

"No Will, it's my fault. I yelled and startled her. I'll go." Tara did her best to convince Willow it was her responsibility, but the redhead was already out of bed and moving towards the bedroom door. She wanted nothing more than to be out of that room and away from the awkward situation.

"It's fine, I got it." She said sadly as she exited the room; never looking back.

Tara's eyes narrowed as she turned her attention to her incredibly hungover friend. "I can't believe you!" She snarled.

"What? I thought I was dreaming. What's _she_ doing here anyway?"

Tara sat up and peered down at Buffy. "_She_ has a name, it's Willow, not 'nerd' and if it wasn't for her, you'd be lying in a puddle of vomit in my front yard. _Willow_ helped carry your sorry ass in the house and held your hair while you puked your guts out." Tara was panting and out of breath as she became angrier by the minute.

"Oh...I...I'm sorry," Buffy said and hung her head, desperately searching her brain for any memory of the previous night, but coming up completely blank.

"I'm not the one you need to be apologizing to. Willow is NOT a nerd and I swear if I _ever_ hear you say that again-"

"Okay, okay...I got it. Just please don't yell at me anymore, my head is killing me and I'm feeling a little sick."

"Gee, I wonder why? Maybe because you got shit faced and passed out drunk. I'm starting to think I should have left you there..."

"What? Tara, I don't...the last thing I remember is Tucker pouring me a drink."

Tara sighed as she hopped out of bed; drawn out by the continual wail coming from her daughter. "We'll talk about this later. Right now, I have to go help Willow. I don't want the baby to wake up my Mom." She wanted nothing more than to go to Willow. The girl looked so dejected that it nearly tore Tara's heart in two.

* * *

Willow's head was spinning. How could she go from complete bliss to utter agony in less than a few seconds? How could she be so stupid as to think things had changed? Maybe Tara was different when they were alone, but she was still a Cordette, she was one of _them_ and Willow wasn't. She felt like crying, running home and snuggling under the covers with her stuffed puppy. Unfortunately, at the moment, she had a screaming baby to contend with and that took precedence over her rapidly souring mood.

"Shhhhhhh sweetie, shhhhhhhh..." Willow tried to gently calm the bellowing infant as she reached into the crib and picked her up; snuggling the baby to her chest and popping the pacifier into her mouth, only to have Chelsea spit it out and continued to scream. Willow tried again, picking up a clean pacifier from the top of the dresser and looping her finger through the plastic handle. She teased Chelsea around her mouth until the infant finally accepted the offer. Willow knew just how to sooth the tiny blonde.

Closing her eyes, Willow began rocking back and forth; humming softly while gently rubbing Chelsea's back. The loving gesture was as calming for Chelsea as it was for Willow and as little girl continued to sniffle, she eventually quieted.

"Hey," Tara whispered. Willow's eyes opened, but she remained silent. "Are you okay?" Tara moved closer and reached out; tucking a few errant strands of red hair behind Willow's ear. "I'm sorry."

Willow shook her head and backed away. She needed to put some distance between herself and the cheerleader. Everything was just too intense and too confusing. "It's not your fault," Willow replied as she kissed Chelsea on the top of her head and slid her into her mothers arms. "I think...I'm just gonna go."

"Will please, I...d-don't go," Tara plead, the last thing she wanted was for Willow to leave upset, especially after the progress they'd made.

Willow simply shrugged her shoulders and left the room. She walked the short distance down the hall to Tara's room and began to gather her clothes. Buffy was laid out on the air mattress with her arm over her eyes. As soon as Willow found her clothes, she walked quickly to the bathroom to change, still contemplating a quick exit.

Willow cleaned up, changed and found a bottle of aspirin in the medicine cabinet. She grabbed it before exiting and heading back to Tara's room. The blonde was still with Chelsea and Willow surmised that she was doing a clandestine feed. Buffy moved her arm and sat up when she heard Willow return to Tara's room.

"Hey," She said, slightly embarrassed by her behavior.

"Here," Willow said as she tossed the bottle in Buffy's lap. "There's a bottle of water next to you on the floor."

Buffy smiled tightly, "Thanks." She opened the bottle, shook out several pills and popped them into her mouth; chasing them with a few swigs of water. "Willow I'm...I'm sorry, for what I said earlier."

Willow stopped what she was doing and looked down suspiciously upon Buffy. "Did Tara ask you to say that?" Buffy ducked her head, "Humph, thought so," Willow said as she turned away and continued stuffing the borrowed pajamas in Tara's hamper.

"Well, if it's any consolation, she also ripped me a new one." Willow smirked, still having her back turned to the girl. "Listen, Tara told me what you did and I really do appreciate it. I um, I don't remember anything about last night and I am sorry if I hurt your feelings. It'll never happen again, I promise. You seem really nice and I think right now, I'm just about the biggest asshole on the face of the planet."

Willow remained silent, she was going to make Buffy work for it. She throughly enjoyed seeing the girl grovel.

A few minutes later, after having fed Chelsea an early morning breast milk snack, Tara returned to her room carrying a much happier baby. She was smiling at her daughter, but when she noticed Willow completely dressed and standing awkwardly across the room, her face fell. "So um, y-you're leaving?"

Willow nodded, "I have Temple this morning with my parents and I need to have a shower and get changed, you know..."

"At least let me make you some breakfast. Do you have time?" Tara asked.

Willow glanced at her watch and shrugged, "I guess." She knew that if she called and asked to skip services her parents probably wouldn't care. The fact that Willow had a friend outside of Jesse and Xander thrilled the Rosenberg's beyond belief, but she needed it as an out. The closer she felt to Tara, the more complicated their relationship became and Willow needed time to sort things out.

"Okay...good, Chels is hungry too," Tara was relieved. The last thing she wanted was for their relationship to move two steps back.

"Buffy, are you coming?" Willow asked.

Buffy was fairly zoned out, still sitting on the edge of the air mattress and watching the girls as if viewing a tennis match. She was surprised by Willow's question, "Oh...um, I think I'll just stay up here, take a shower and get cleaned up. If that's okay with Tara."

Tara nodded and moved across the room, nonchalantly handing Chelsea off to Willow, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She rummaged through her dresser drawers and pulled out some clothes. "Here," She said flatly, the annoyance with her friend still evident in her tone as she tossed the clothing to Buffy. She had not only been cruel, but had also ruined their perfect moment. "You can wear these. We'll be downstairs."

"Thanks..." Buffy muttered, accepting the offering as they left the room.

* * *

"Thanks for making breakfast," Willow said as she sat with her hands under her chin, slightly amused while watching Tara try to get Chelsea to eat baby cereal, rather than wear it.

"You're welcome, it was the least I could do," Tara replied.

"Tara, you don't owe me anything. We're friends, we're supposed to help each other out. I'll always be here for you." Willow was definitely feeling better. Tara had a special way of putting her at ease, without even trying.

Tara sighed, turning to face the redhead. "Thank you and I'll always be here for you, but I meant about Buffy and what she s-said. She didn't even say it to me and I just felt...I'm s-so sorry for ever saying that to you."

"Tare, it's okay. We've already been through this. You apologized, I accepted and we moved on. Please, don't keep beating yourself up. Really, I'm fine."

"How do you do that?"

Willow cocked her head curiously, "What?"

"Forgive so easily."

Willow's green eyes locked with Tara's blue, "You're easy to forgive," She whispered, feeling the now familiar tingle, that started in the pit of her stomach and rippled it's way through her chest, every time Tara looked at her. She began to reach out and hold Tara's hand again, but Chelsea picked that very moment to sling a handful of cereal right at her Mommy. The wet, mushy substance clumped in Tara's hair and spread across her face.

Willow snorted and then burst out laughing while Tara, eyes still clinched shut, began blindly wiping at her face.

While Tara and Willow had been having a [i]moment[/i], Chelsea had managed to get a hold of the bowl and was having a grand old time.

"YA, YA, YA!" The cheery infant yelled, picking up the bowl and slamming it repeatedly on the surface of the tray. What little cereal that was left in the bowl was now all over Chelsea and Tara.

The little girl paused, grabbing a clump from the tray and thrust it in her mouth. The look on the child's face was priceless and both Willow and Tara were now in hysterics.

It took several minutes for the laughter to die down before they were able to pull themselves together enough to get things cleaned up. They'd just finished getting the sticky cereal out of Tara's hair when Buffy appeared in the doorway.

"Looks like I missed all the fun," She said, fidgeting awkwardly.

Tara giggled, "You missed Chelsea having a food fight with herself and my hair."

Buffy moved towards the table and sat down next to Chelsea, "Hey cutie! Bet cha' didn't know that you're supposed to eat the food and not wear it." She said as she held out a finger to the baby, who happily grabbed it and began to shake her hand. "Awww, she's so cute! Wow, I can't believe how much you look like your big sister." Buffy said as she continued to play with Chelsea. Tara and Willow locked eyes and shared a knowing smile. "What?" A befuddled Buffy asked, looking between the two.

"Nothing," Willow said, taking a quick glance at her watch, sensing that the two friends probably needed to talk. "Well, I guess I'd better get going, services start in about an hour."

Tara smiled demurely and nodded, "Buffy, can you watch Chels while I walk Willow out?"

"Sure, bye Willow and hey, thanks again...for everything," She said genuinely.

"You're welcome Buffy, see ya around." Willow leaned down and gave Chelsea a big kiss on the top of her head and a quick squeeze of her cheeks. "Bye Sweet-Pea, I'll see you in a few days. Be a good girl for your Will-Will." The genuine affection Willow felt for Chelsea was palpable; she absolutely adored the tiny blonde.

"So," Tara asked as she walked Willow out, "What was that all about, with you and Buffy?"

"Oh, she um, she apologized."

"Really?" Tara said, genuinely surprised. Even though she had requested that Buffy apologize, she never thought the girl would _actually_ do it. "Well, t-that's good."

Willow sighed and faced Tara when they reached the front door, "What a night, huh?"

"Yeah." Tara ducked her head shyly, which Willow found completely endearing.

"Okay well, I guess I'll see you next week," Willow said as she backed out the door.

"Wait!" Tara called, reaching out for her wrist and stopping the redhead. "I was w-wondering if you're, um free and not doing something maybe you could...come over and we could, you know, _do something_." Tara asked with a hopeful smile.

"Tonight?" Willow asked.

"Yeah sorry, that was kind of rambly and unclear, wasn't it?"

"Not at all," Willow said softly, taking a chance and allowing her hand to drop into Tara's. "I'd like that, very much."

"Okay well um, call me later...after, when you get a chance and we'll decide then. M-Maybe I can get a sitter and we can go out or something." Willow raised an amused eyebrow at the irony of Tara's statement. Tara rolled her eyes and squeezed Willow's hand again, "A babysitter as in other. You know what I mean...goof."

"Okay, sounds like a plan." Willow said, unable to look away.

They stood staring when Tara couldn't fight the urge any longer and pulled Willow into a hug. Tara nestled her face in the crook of Willow's neck and taking full advantage of the situation.

Tara's heart was pounding and she wondered if Willow could feel it too. When they pulled apart, Tara pressed a soft kiss to Willow's cheek; holding her lips there longer than the night before and reveling in the sensation.

Willow, again, was caught completely off guard. Tara was kissing her, again and although it had barely lasted two-seconds, Willow would never forget the feeling of having those lips against her skin. She would cherish the moment forever.

"Bye Tare."

"Bye Will."

As the redhead turned to leave, their hands remained clasped to the very last second, until Willow was too far away to keep them together any longer.


	18. Chapter 18

Hey All...Thanks for the lovely feedback and for sticking with me in getting the girls together. I promise, it will happen!

* * *

Chapter 18

Willow was rummaging through her closet, trying to find a hat to go with her outfit. Ever since Tara said her clothes were 'cute,' Willow had made it her mission to dress 'extra cute' whenever she spent time with Tara. For their night out, Willow chose a pair of dark olive colored slack and a fuzzy red sweater. She wanted to top it off with her favorite yellow bowler hat, the one with red stripes. She'd been digging through a box for several minutes when she heard a soft rap on her bedroom door.

"Come in! Ah ha!" She shouted from inside the closet.

"Willow, where are you?" A familiar male voice asked.

Willow recognized the voice immediately and emerged triumphantly, spinning the hat on her finger. "Xander? What are you doing here?"

"Gee, nice to see you too Will." Xander replied sarcastically.

"Sorry, I'm just surprised. Is everything okay?" Willow had been concerned by his recent behavior and hoped that he would open up about what was going on.

"Yeah, I just, you know...thought I'd stop by and see if you wanted to do something tonight or maybe hang out here and watch a movie?"

Willow eyed him suspiciously as the strange behavior continued. "Xander, what's going on? First, you act all weird in the hall before lunch the other day and now you show up here, out of the blue, wanting to hang out? Come on, spill."

Xander was fidgeting and rubbing his hands on his pants as he sat awkwardly on the foot of Willow's bed, "There's nothing wrong. I just thought we could have some best friend time is all. We haven't spent very much time together and I just thought we could talk and stuff. I miss you Will."

Xander looked up at her with puppy dog eyes and Willow softened immediately. She began to feel a little bit bad for giving him a hard time. Willow was a sucker for that look, it reminded her of the five year old boy she'd fallen for so many years ago. Feeling guilty for what she was about to do, Willow walked over and sat next to him on the bed.

"Tonight," She breathed, "That sounds really nice but, unfortunately I already have plans with someone...other, but I wouldn't be opposed to some best friend time tomorrow though." She said hopefully.

Xander's shoulders sank and the disappointment was clearly etched on his face. "Oh. That's okay. Wait, what? With who?" He asked incredulously.

"What do you mean who?" Willow exclaimed, completely taken aback by his tone and immediately going on the defensive. "Am I not allowed to have other friends? I mean it's not like _you've_ been all that friend-y lately!"

Xander's face contorted and he held his hands up defensively as the back peddling began. "No, no, no! I didn't mean it like that, it's just...Willow, you don't have any other friends and I was just surprised is all. Hold on, it's not someone you met on the internet is it?"

Willow's brow furrowed and her eyes grew angry. "No, but so what if it was?"

"Then why are you all with the secrets?" Xander ignored Willow's question and shot back with one of his own.

"I'm not being secretive and what's with the third degree anyway?"

Xander jumped off the bed and began to pace before suddenly turning towards Willow. "Who is he?" He exclaimed suspiciously.

Willow raised an eyebrow _Why does he even care?_ "It's not a he, it's a Tara."

"A what?"

"Tara...T-A-R-A," Willow spelled out, "as in Maclay."

There was an awkward silence as Xander took in this new information. "So, now you're hanging out full time with a Cordette? I thought the football game thing was a one time deal?" He asked accusingly.

"Hey!" Willow shouted. "Since when is it any of your business who I hang out with anyway? Besides, Tara is very nice and we've become good friends. Which you would have noticed it you weren't attached at the hip with Anya. Hey, I'm even surprised you're here by yourself, I didn't know the umbilical cord could stretch that far!"

"I knew it! I knew you hated her!" He replied loudly, "And...and now you're being all...judge-y and you think you're too good to hang out with me!"

"Hey, I'm not the one being judgmental here. I'll leave that territory to you!" Willow yelled.

"Well...well, I'm not the one hanging out in public with a Cordette!" Xander replied, as he attempted to stare Willow down.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means what it means!" Xander shouted, before storming out of Willow's room.

Willow's mouth hung open in disbelief. She wanted to yell something else and not give him the last word, but she couldn't think of anything. "I can't believe him, what a jerk, that last part didn't even make sense! Dumb Xander and his stupid nonsensical crap." Willow mumbled, grabbing the hat off her bed and heading for the bathroom to finish getting ready.

As Xander barreled down the stairs and exploded out the front door, he nearly plowed right into Tara.

He was caught completely by surprise and jumped to his right, as he tried to avoid knocking the girl down. In the process, he lost his footing, tripped down the porch steps and rolled across the Rosenberg's front lawn. Ending up flat on his back.

"Xander!" Tara shouted, in fear that the boy had seriously injured himself. She darted down the steps and kneeled at his side. "Oh my God, are you okay?" She said, reaching out to help him up.

Xander was completely stunned. Everything happened so fast he barely had time to register that he was even falling before he found himself lying in the grass and staring up at a pair of concerned blue eyes.

"_Tara_," He growled through gritted teeth.

"Xander?" Tara was confused by his reaction and pulled back as he jumped to his feet. "Are you alright?"

Xander brushed himself off and continued to glare at Tara. His mouth opened and closed several times as if he wanted to say something, yet nothing came out. Frustrated and without a word, he finally turned and stomped off.

Tara sighed heavily, "That was...weird." She said out loud, to no one in particular, before turning and making her way back to Willow's front door.

She rang the bell and was greeted by a cheery Shiela Rosenberg. "Oh my goodness! Tara Maclay, let me look at you. My, my...you have grown into such a beautiful young woman. I can see where Chelsea gets her looks," Sheila said as she pulled Tara into a warm hug.

Tara reciprocated the hug and blushed madly. "Thank you, it's nice to see you too."

"How is your Mom? I keep meaning to call her..." Sheila trailed off, a little embarrassed that she hadn't gotten in contact with her old friend yet.

"She's good and I know she'd love to catch up with you too. S-She's working tonight, but said you could call her if you have time." Tara handed over a folded piece of paper with Jen's cell number and really did hope that Mrs. Rosenberg would find the time to call. Since being back in Sunnydale, it seemed all her Mom did was work to support she and Chelsea; putting aside a personal life so Tara could finish high school.

Willow was still in the bathroom touching up her make up and getting her hat just right when she heard the doorbell. She rushed out, anxious to meet Tara and get the evening started.

When she arrived at the foot of the stairs, Willow grabbed Tara by the hand and quickly whisked her out the door. "Bye Mom, see you later!"

"Bye Sweetie, you girls have fun and be safe!" Sheila called out as the two girls headed out to Tara's car.

As they got in, Sheila was still standing by the front door waving, prompting Willow to slither down in the seat. "Oh God, how embarrassing."

Tara giggled at Willow's antics as she started the car and waved back to Mrs. Rosenberg before pulling away. "I think it's sweet, she just worries about you."

"Yeah, but she was acting like it was our first...um, my first time leaving the house or something." Willow breathed a sigh of relief, pushing herself back up to a normal position, after almost blurting out 'first date.' Luckily she caught herself in time, but if she was honest, that was exactly what it felt like.

"So, what's the plan?" Willow asked, changing the subject and hoping Tara hadn't caught on.

"Well, I thought we could get something to eat? It'll be nice to have a meal without getting food thrown in my face," Tara said with a smirk.

Willow laughed, "Sounds like a plan, no food in the face...check."

* * *

An hour later, Willow and Tara sat in a cozy booth in the back of one of the more popular Italian restaurants in Sunnydale. The atmosphere was relaxed and the girls chatted and laughed as they ate their dinners.

"I really like your boots," Willow said shyly. She'd been meaning to compliment her friend's outfit all night, but couldn't figure out a way without sounding too pervy. Since getting in the car, Willow had been secretly admiring the high cut mini skirt and v-neck sweater that fit Tara's chest snugly; showing off a nice bit of cleavage. Rounding out the ensemble was a pair of knee-high brown leather boots. The latter of which Willow decided was the safest thing for her to discuss.

"Thanks, I love your hat, by the way. It's very...Willow-y," Tara said, with a flirty lopsided smile.

Willow grinned widely; she loved that smile and was beginning to think it was just for her. "Thanks, it's one of my favorites. Tare, I hope you don't mind me asking, but don't you have a brother?" Willow asked, quickly shifting gears and receiving a smile from Tara as she sucked in a long piece of spaghetti.

"Um hmm, I do. Donny, he's in the Navy and stationed in Norfolk, but right now he's out at sea. Somewhere near Greece, I think. How did you know I have brother?"

"Oh, my Mom told me, she asked about him. So, how does he feel about, you know...everything?" Willow asked as she gestured with her free hand, while twirling noodles around her fork with the other.

Tara sighed, "He was upset, mainly with my Mom for leaving my Dad. He's kind of a tough guy, a real 'man's man.' We're not very close, there's five years between us, but even if there wasn't...I don't know, he's just...not a very nice guy sometimes. He is most definitely his father's son."

Willow watched Tara closely as she spoke about her estranged brother and it was clear there was no love loss between them. She was having a hard time imaging what life had been like for Tara, before she and her mother managed to _escape_. Although Tara gave no specific details, it upset Willow none-the-less, especially now that they'd grown so close. However, there was one thing she was happy about and it was the fact that Chelsea would never have to endure the dysfunction that Tara had. Of course, this train of thought really got Willow worrying.

When Willow became quiet, Tara could tell the wheels were turning. "Will, is there something you want to ask me? Really, I don't mind. It actually feels pretty good to finally have someone I can talk to. It's just been me and my Mom for so long I sorta forgot what it was like to have a _real_ friend."

This made Willow smile confidently, Tara always had a way of making her feel special. "Are you sure?" Tara nodded. "Okay well, I was just wondering...about Steven? Do you um, do you think he'd ever just show up one day and try to-"

"Take Chelsea? No. My Mom and I made sure that could never happen." Tara said with conviction.

"What do you mean?" Willow put her fork down and leaned forward, giving Tara her full attention.

"When my grandmother passed away, she left my Mom and Aunt the house, plus some money, not a lot, but it was enough to help us relocate and get back on our feet. I was crazy paranoid that Steven would just show up one day and demand his daughter, so after moving down here, we took some of the money and hired a lawyer." Tara's expression saddened. "I didn't want anything from him, but the lawyer persuaded me to sue for child support, as well as full custody. His parents were furious and Steven...well, I think he actually felt bad about everything, but he still sided with his parents. They thought because they had some clout and money they could push me around, but luckily I served him from California. The courts here don't put up with a lot of nonsense."

Tara sighed heavily before continuing, "They fought everything, even after the paternity tests came back positive. The judge got really irritated with their lawyer, so she gave me sole custody plus support; with no forced visitation or anything. Unfortunately, because Steven is over eighteen and barely employed, she couldn't make him pay a lot."

"Even though his parents are loaded?"

"Uh huh, so that's why it would have been hard to afford a hundred percent of daycare or a decent Nanny. He only has to pay a couple hundred a week; half goes to you and the other half for necessities. I um, I didn't plan on cheering, I was gonna get a part time job after school, but my Mom insisted. She wanted me to have some 'normalcy.' It was never about the money anyway, it was about the custody. I t-thought when his parents found out she was really his they would fight for her, but they didn't. They didn't seem to care one bit about her; she was an embarrassment to them. Good for me, bad for Chelsea and Steven."

Willow looked at Tara sympathetically; trying to offer some comfort through her eyes. "Do you...do you still care for him?"

Tara shook her head, "No, not anymore, sometimes I can't believe I cared about him at all or that I was ever with someone who could just walk away from his child without a second thought. You know, one day she's going to ask about him. What am I gonna tell her and not break her heart?" Tara began to tear up and bit her bottom lip in an attempt to keep them at bay. She had vowed a long time ago that Steven would not get another tear from her.

Willow reached for Tara's hand, "You're going to remind her that she has a Mommy that loves her more than anything in the world and when she's old enough to understand, you'll tell her the truth, but right now you're not going to worry about it, because you have plenty of time to figure it out."

Tara nodded and smiled up at the redhead. "You're a good friend Willow." She squeezed Willow's hand in return and reluctantly let go when the waitress approached the table to refill their glasses.

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "Thanks, I hope you don't feel like I was giving you the third degree or something, because I got a dose of that earlier tonight and it wasn't much fun."

Tara cocked her head, "Y-You mean X-Xander?" Tara frowned as the stutter betrayed her yet again.

Willow's face twisted in a scowl as she recalled the earlier events. "Yeah, how did you know?"

"I sorta ran into him as he was l-leaving; more like he ran into me running out of your house."

The return of Tara's nervous stutter and her sudden obsession with the napkin in her lap, did not go unnoticed by Willow. Several weeks earlier, Willow decided to make a mental note every time Tara stuttered. She hated seeing the girl distressed and wanted to figure out exactly what was causing it. _Xander…but why Xander_?

Willow's brain finally caught up to Tara's original statement and her eyes widened with concern. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Tara blushed slightly, "No, but I thought maybe he h-hurt himself when he fell down the steps and rolled across your f-front yard."

Willow went from concern to anger in a matter of seconds. "Good, maybe the fall knocked some sense into that Neanderthal brain of his."

"Willow...come on, you don't mean that."

Willow crossed her arms defiantly. "Yes, I do. He's been acting like an ass lately and I'm tired of it."

What happened?"

Willow launched into the story of what transpired earlier in the evening, leaving out certain parts she thought would hurt Tara's feelings. She also recanted his weirdness the over the last couple weeks.

"...plus, his doctor told him he doesn't even need that stupid eye patch anymore, but he insists on wearing it because he said it makes him a _chick magnet_."

Tara snorted and nearly chocked on her tea. "Oh yeah, that's totally hot."

"I know, right?" Willow agreed. "Anyway, I don't know what his deal is, plus I'm actually starting to feel bad for Anya. Which I didn't think was even possible."

"I don't really know her all that well, but she seems nice."

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "She's okay, in a _say every inappropriate thought that pops into your head_ sort of way." Tara laughed again and Willow internally patted herself on the back. "Speaking of weirdness...what happened with Buffy after I left this morning? Did you guys get a chance to talk?"

Tara nodded and wiped her mouth. "She was kinda wigged at not being able to remember anything. She swears she only had the one drink."

"Do you believe her?"

"I think so, I mean she only left the stadium maybe ten minutes before me. How many drinks could she have had?" Tara's question was more rhetorical than anything else and she didn't expect Willow to answer. "Anyway, ninety-nine point nine percent of me thinks something hinky was going on, but there's that nagging point one percent, ya know?"

"You think that Tucker guy spiked her drink?" Willow asked incredulously.

"Well, I wouldn't put it past him. That guy and his friends are sorta creepy. Not to mention his little brother, Andrew, thinks he's some sort of comic book super villain. He's always going on and on about how he's gonna take over the city and we will all bow before him."

Willow laughed out loud, "I've seen that guy! Kinda wacky with all the running through the halls in a cape and gym shorts. So, what's she gonna do?"

"Knowing Buffy, probably nothing. God forbid she tarnishes her priceless reputation. I would be on the war path if it was me."

Willow cocked her head as the wheels turned, "Tara, you don't think that's what Scott had in mind for you with all the pressure to drink, do you?"

Tara stopped eating and thought for a moment before answering. "I don't know, I hadn't really given it any thought. Oh God, I hope not."

"It's sorta scary to think what they may have done if you weren't there to take care of her. She owes you big time."

"I guess, I just hope this knocks some sense into her."

"Maybe she and Xander should knock heads and between the two they may end up with one decent thought." Willow smiled brightly and a warm feeling washed over her when Tara laughed at her joke. She was thrilled by how their 'non-date' was going and couldn't have asked for a more perfect evening. "So, what's on the agenda for the rest of the night?"

Willow shifted the conversation quickly and Tara never batted an eye; she was quickly becoming used to Willow's active mind. "Wanna see a movie?"

"Sure!" Willow was thrilled the evening was going to continue. "What did you have in mind?"

"Ummm...I have no idea what's playing," Tara admitted with a giggle.

Willow reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. "No problem, I have an app for that!" She quipped, as she scrolled her thumb across the screen. "Hmmm, looks like we missed the start of everything except the dollar theatre over by UC Sunnydale."

Tara grimaced, knowing the cheap movies weren't always the greatest. "What's playing there?"

"Oh um, Twillight?"

Tara scrunched her nose, "I'm sorry if I offend you with what I'm about to say but, those movies are horrible."

Willow's responding grin stretched from ear to ear, "Finally, someone who shares my opinion! I tried to get through the books, but ended up donating them to the library. I mean seriously, sparkling vampires? Pfft!"

Tara grinned in return; Willow was just too adorable. "What else is playing?"

"There's only one other that starts within the hour, 'The Time Traveler's Wife.' Have you seen it?"

"Nope, how about you?" Willow shook her head. "Then I guess it's settled. If that's okay with you?"

"Perfect."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Perfect was not a word Willow Rosenberg used often. As someone who excelled academically, she knew by sheer definition the only thing that could even come close to being defined as perfect were mathematic equations. Perfection required a state of absolute completion; there could be no gray area. Two plus two always equaled four and there was no way it could ever equal anything else.

Something was either perfect or it wasn't and there weren't many things in this world that fell into that category. People certainly did not; they are far too flawed. Willow had figured that out at a young age when she learned that her parents were not as perfect as they appeared. They didn't have all the answers and they made mistakes, not often, but they did…they were human, after all. Willow's linear thinking mind had never even considered the possibility of any one person being at the pinnacle of perfection. She had never considered it because she had always been led by that mind, but now it was time to reconsider; re-think that theory, because now, under the cloak of darkness, her heart was in charge and redefining her view of perfection. A view that was taking the shape of the girl sitting next to her; Tara was indeed _perfect_ or at least Willow's own personal vision of perfection.

Logically speaking, Willow understood that Tara wasn't perfect. She had flaws just like everyone else, but Willow wasn't thinking logically at the moment. All logic had flown out the window when Tara's perfectly full lips had puckered and descended upon the soda straw. How Willow longed to be that straw.

_How could I not have seen it before? What took me so long to figure it out?_

"Because you were thinking and not feeling!" Willow jumped at the abruptness of the movie dialog. It was the first line she'd actually comprehended in well over fifteen 'd been struggling to pay attention from the start; having been more interested in sneaking shy glances towards the object of her desire.

After being pulled from her reverie, she decided that now was as good a time as any to reinvest in the movie. With a good amount of resolve, Willow reluctantly pulled her eyes from the blonde and set them firmly on the screen.

The film, as it turned out, was an emotional roller coaster and as the end neared it became evident what the outcome would be. Willow began to feel the tears stinging in the back of her eyes and heard a loud sniffle come from the seat next to her. Just as she looked to her left, the tears began to drip from Tara's eyes. Willow took a deep breath; feeling a hot flush course through her body as she reached to take Tara's hand.

Tara was a sucker for romance and had been into the movie from the start. Which made it all the more difficult to watch as the star-crossed lovers neared their tragic end. Tara was overcome with emotion when the tears began to flow and she made no effort to stop them. Since becoming pregnant, she'd been a hormonal basket case. It was something Tara had become quite used to. Sniffling again, a little louder than expected, she suddenly felt warm fingers lacing together with her own.

Tara squeezed the warm hand that offered her comfort and as the onslaught of tears continued, she snuggled closer; eventually laying her head on Willow's shoulder. Barely a moment had passed before she felt Willow's head lie against the top of hers. Tara sighed contentedly and wrapped her free hand around Willow's arm.

For as much as Willow wanted to believe Tara's actions were more than platonic, it was still confusing. _Does this mean what I think it means? Is Tara also having feelings or is this a best friend thing?_ Willow was fairly certain that friends were not this intimate, but with her lack of experience and underlying insecurities, she just wasn't a hundred percent sure.

In Willow's humble and albeit very naïve opinion, boys and girls were simple. When a boy liked a girl he would ask her out and if he made a move, well, it was to be expected. This however, this was like being trapped in a giant area of perpetual gray. There were too many variables; too many questions. What if she was reading the signals all wrong? What if she made a [i]real[/i] move and Tara rejected her? What if she lost her best friend and they went back to being enemies?

_What if…_

Willow's train of thought was temporarily broken when she felt Tara snuggle closer. Willow did the only thing she could think to do, actually she didn't really think about it at all; she did what [i]felt[/i] right and lay her head atop Tara's. She sure didn't feel rejected, at least not her definition of the word. _Here I am again with the definitions_. She thought ruefully.

Willow was all too familiar with the concept of rejection; living through a teenage existence steeped in it. She'd pined over Xander for years, practically threw herself at him on occasion, only to have her affections rebuffed time and time again. Willow was weary and tired of the games. She was also, at the moment, snuggled close to someone else, someone of the girl variety; a very pretty, very sweet, and very sexy girl who wielded an immeasurable amount of power over her. The power to make Willow go weak in the knees with a simple half quirk of her lips; an effect Xander never had on her. Ever. It was enthralling and terrifying all at the same time, but she couldn't stop herself from wanting to be closer to the girl and bathe in her warmth. The tingly feeling that spread through her belly every time Tara touched her was becoming an addiction, one of which she was happy to give in to.

* * *

"So, that was quite the tear jerker. Are you okay?" Willow asked Tara as they made their way across the parking lot to Tara's car.

Tara ducked her head shyly and her face became flushed with embarrassment. "Yeah, sorry about that…hormones, I guess. Sometimes I even get weepy over TV commercials."

Willow giggled, "Sometimes I do the same thing, depending on the time of the month, ya know?" Tara smiled and nodded. "Hey! How about I buy you an ice cream? Nothing better than ice cream after a good cry." She said hopefully.

Tara's shoulders slumped, "I-I can't. I promised Janice I wouldn't be too late. She can't stay, something about a church activity in the morning, s-sorry." Tara's mood shifted from happy to sad in a matter of seconds; she didn't want her night with Willow to end. Everything was going so well, but she had responsibilities and sacrifices had to be made.

Willow nodded sadly, unable to hide her disappointment. "I understand," and she did. Chelsea was the priority, as she should be, but it still did not make things easier.

As they got into Tara's car a heavy and awkward silence fell over them. Willow fiddled nervously with the hem of her shirt as Tara began to back out of the parking space.

Then without warning, the blonde stopped the car suddenly with a jerk. "I have an idea! How about we pick up some ice cream and head back to my place?" She suggested eagerly.

Willow smiled widely and nodded her head in approval. "That's a great idea!" She exclaimed, thrilled to be spending more time with her friend.

"Great!" Tara responded, mentally patting herself on the back for coming up with an even better plan. Not only was the evening not going to end early, but they were getting more alone time and Tara was thrilled.

* * *

"Mmmmm, what a beautiful night," Tara sighed, closing her eyes and inhaling the cool night air. "Great idea to eat out here Will."

Willow returned Tara's smile as she dipped her spoon into the pint of rocky road ice cream sitting between them on the back porch swing. They swung lightly, listening to the squeak of the rusty chain, the sound of crickets singing in the dark and the scratchy ever present white noise emitting from the baby monitor.

Tara briefly closed her eyes and a small smile graced her lips. "I used to sit out here with my grandmother when I was little. We'd sit right in this very spot; she would knit and I would read Dr. Seuss books to her for hours on end. I must have driven her nearly insane." Tara chuckled softly at the memory.

"That's a nice memory and just think, you get to do it all over again with Chelsea. I guess you'd better learn how to knit," Willow joked, receiving a hearty laugh from the blonde.

Tara's laugh suddenly turned to a frown. "Hey! That's so unfair!" She exclaimed indignantly as she raised her spoon; the one she'd accidentally bent completely in half on a frozen chunk of ice cream. Tara held the spoon in front of her face and a huge pout formed on her lips. They both looked at the spoon and then at each other and bursting out laughing.

It took a few minutes and Willow nearly falling off the swing before things settled down. "Oh my God...the look on your face was priceless." Willow giggled, holding her stomach.

"I'm glad you find my tragic situation so funny."

"Awww, poor baby. Here, we can share." Feeling a sudden burst of confidence, Willow dug her spoon into a softer area of the chocolate-y goodness and held the spoon up to Tara's mouth; a sly grin forming on her lips.

Their eyes locked and Tara returned with a seductive grin, before wrapping her lips around the creamy scoop. Tara moaned softly and allowed them to linger before sucking the icy treat into her mouth.

Willow sensed a shift in the atmosphere when she saw Tara's eyes darken to a sexy smoldering blue. The look was unmistakably sexy and flirtatious and...[i]sexy…very, very sexy.[/i]

Willow thought she might have heard something resembling a noise emit from the girl, but the ringing in her ears drowned it out. The redhead watched intently as Tara's devilish little tongue poked out and lapped up the remaining ice cream.

Willow was certain now, this was well beyond the bounds of friendship and she closed her eyes; swallowing hard in a failed attempt to calm her nerves before speaking. The connection…_their_ connection and the intensifying emotions were just too much and there was no way she could continue with all the wanting and the not knowing. Willow needed to know. Right now.

The logical side of her brain was telling her to shut up and once this door was opened it couldn't be closed, but her heart was telling her something completely different and it was currently winning the fight; as it had been all night.

Willow stabbed the spoon into the open pint and gripped her knees tightly. "Tara, what's happening...between us?" Willow asked in a tiny voice, the last two words were barely audible. She was terrified.

Tara's heart started to race and her hands began to tremble. Although the question came as a complete surprise and she was mildly panicked, part of her was glad had Willow asked it. It was time to get their feelings out in the open. The mutual attraction that had been building for months had finally reached its peak.

"What do you want to happen?" Tara finally replied in a whisper, not wanting to push her friend into anything she wasn't ready for.

Willow's face held a worried expression. "I'm scared Tara...I...I don't want to ruin everything. We've worked so hard on our friendship and it...it means the world to me."

Tara's heart officially melted. Willow looked so vulnerable and terrified that she would say the wrong thing. Tara needed to touch her. To reassure the girl that nothing she could possibly say or do would ruin anything. The blonde reached out with a shaky hand; running the pads of her fingers down the side of Willow's face. "It's okay Will, you won't mess up, I promise. You can tell me...anything," Tara reassured as her hand dropped back into her lap.

As Willow gazed into Tara's eyes, she could feel her heart pounding hard in her chest and she too scooted closer; releasing the death grip on her knees and taking Tara's hands in hers. "I want...I want to kiss you," She breathed.

Tara nodded, almost imperceptibly and whispered, "Okay…" As she leaned in, her eyes involuntarily closing when she met Willow half way and pressed their lips gently together.

The sensation was overpowering and fireworks exploded behind Willow's eyes. The softness of Tara's lips was intoxicating and Willow could hardly believe she'd actually gone through with it. Now she knew, finally _knew_ how it felt to kiss the woman she'd been dreaming about for weeks and to feel those plump perfect lips against hers. They were kissing, actually kissing.

_Kissing..._

No matter what Willow did, she couldn't seem to shut down her mind. It began to wander and she was sure it would be her ultimate undoing. That's when she froze, completely unable to move as it suddenly dawned on her active mind that this was her first kiss. The first time her lips had ever brushed across another's and the intense rush of emotion she was experiencing rendered her motionless. She'd been the one to take the lead, the one to initiate things and now, she had no idea what to do next and started to pull away. Lucky for her, the girl she happened to be kissing had no intention of stopping.

As Willow's lips pressed against her, Tara felt weak and lightheaded. She had never before experienced such an all-consuming kiss, nor had she ever wanted to kiss someone so badly before and to have that unyielding need satisfied...was pure heaven.

The kiss was simple and light, but unlike any kiss that had come before. How could such a tentative kiss be so fulfilling? Tara was elated, but suddenly the source of her elation was moving away and she was not ready for that to happen just yet. It had taken them entirely too long to get to this point and she wanted to enjoy it for as long as possible.

Tara untangled her hands and brought them to Willow's cheeks, gently pulling the girl back. She eventually slid them into the soft red hair and wrapped her arms around Willow's neck. A few seconds later, Tara began to intensify the kiss and move her lips more; opening and closing her mouth against Willow's, taking the lead as they began to develop a rhythm.

Willow instantly relaxed, feeling relieved when Tara took over. Her hands were still on Tara's knees, where her friend had left them and when Tara opened her mouth and offered Willow her tongue, Willow couldn't resist giving them a squeeze.

Tara was pleased when her friend immediately accepted the offer and she slid her tongue effortlessly into Willow's mouth; completely engulfed by a sudden rush of earth shattering desire.

Their tongues dueled for several long moments before coming to a natural stopping point. They pulled apart, just far enough to look into each other's eyes and smile contentedly.

Willow was the first to break the silence, having finally regained the ability to string words together after the mind-blowing kiss. "That was..."

"Amazing," Tara breathed. "Can...can we do that again?" She asked, tentatively.

"Uh huh," Willow replied, in a Tara induced haze. Never in a million years did she think Tara would _want_ to continue, but she was most definitely not going to argue the point.


	20. Chapter 20

_******Thanks for the reviews everyone!**_

**Ohai- Awww...good tears I hope?**

**Dirty Tube Socks- Glad you liked it! It definitely was a long time coming, but worth it:) Thanks for the heads up with the "issue," lol. No matter how many times I proof, I always miss something. Also, glad you were able to catch up with RtR...I'm a little behind over here.**

**Syndi-Dowell- Yep, big yay for the kisses! Xander is a mystery, isn't he?**

**Kingdomalith- Woo Hoo! **

**tanner12- Glad you liked the first smooches! I definitely wanted it to be special and happy that it came across well:) **

* * *

_**Chapter 20**_

As Tara leaned over and placed the rapidly melting pint of ice cream on the deck, Willow sat silently still processing the last few minutes. One minute they were enjoying the cold treat and the next they were enjoying each other; with reckless abandon. She watched as Tara bent to the side, her shirt riding up and exposing a sliver of bare skin across her lower back. Willow shivered as she thought about her hands slipping under the hem of Tara's skirt and caressing that spot up close and personal. All thoughts of eating the ice cream were now a thing of the past.

As Tara returned from her brief trip away from Willow's lips, she took a minute to get more comfortable. Both girls had been facing each other and sitting with their legs crossed, but it wasn't very comfortable and certainly not conducive to a full on make out session. Plus, Tara had an almost primal need to be closer. She allowed one leg to dangle off the swing and tucked the other underneath her bottom. Willow followed suit and they scooted closer until there was virtually no space between them.

Tara reached up, placing her hands on the redhead's shoulders; caressing them gently before pulling the girl forward and kissing her forehead, then her nose and finally landing on her mouth. She felt Willow's arms snake around her back and squeeze her tight. Everything began to fade away. The white noise from the baby monitor, the rusty chain, and the crickets...the entire world, gone.

This time the kissing lasted much longer, as the girls became more comfortable and explored each other intimately. Tara pressed herself against Willow, unwittingly mashing their breasts together and causing Willow to release an unconscious moan. The redhead was so overly excited that she momentarily forgot how to breathe. Her brain finally reminding her that it required oxygen and she relaxed her grip on Tara; slowly pulling back to catch her breath.

After a few seconds however, Willow decided it had been far too long between kisses and quickly re-captured Tara's lips. She kissed her lightly at first and then cupped her friend's cheeks and crushed their lips together tightly; this time it was Tara's turn to moan deeply.

Their lips parted instantly as they explored each other's tongues with exuberant caresses. Willow was pouring months of wanting into the kiss and it seemed to be taking on a life of it's own. She quickly realized the stimulation was becoming far more than she could handle.

_I've never been this sexually aroused before and it's just from kissing_.

Before she allowed her mind to wander much further, she gently released Tara's bottom lip and broke the kiss; pulling back just enough to look into Tara's deep blue eyes.

The blonde felt faint, the feel of Willow's supple breasts against hers combined with the intensity at which Willow was kissing her, left her head spinning. As her breathing began to slow to a more normal rate, she could feel a lopsided smile forming and spreading to a full-blown grin.

"Wow, you are a _really_ good kisser."

Willow returned the smile, "Not bad for a first timer then?"

Tara cocked her head and whispered, "As in ever?"

Willow blushed, nodding shyly and speaking barely above a whisper. "Yeah, I was um...saving it, for someone special."

Tara was caught completely off guard with this new revelation and suddenly had an overwhelming urge to wrap Willow in a tight hug, letting her know that it was special to her as well. "Oh Sweetie...c'mere," She whispered, pulling Willow close and softly stroking the back of her head.

They stayed like that for several minutes; enjoying the moment and the closeness when suddenly the porch light flicked on and the back door began to open.

The girls sprang apart and tried to compose themselves quickly as Jen leaned out the door.

"Tara, are you out here?"

"Y-Yeah Mom, we're out here. Just h-hanging out and eating s-some ice cream." Tara bit her lip and grimaced, cursing the infernal stutter.

Jen looked at the girls and smirked curiously. She knew they were up to something; it had been ages since she'd heard her daughter stutter, not to mention the puddle of melted ice cream on the deck. They both held an apprehensive expression and Jen figured that she'd just interrupted a private conversation. She smiled sweetly, "Okay, well don't stay out here too long, it's getting chilly."

_Chilly? I feel like my body is on fire!_ Tara nodded, "We won't. Oh…Mom, I have to take Willow home soon, can you listen out for Chel's while I'm gone?"

"Sure Hon," Jen replied as she picked up the baby monitor off the porch railing where it rested.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Oh, before I forget...Willow, can you let your Mom know Monday evening at five-thirty is fine?"

"Uhh, sure. Fine for what?" The redhead asked curiously.

"Well, Sheila and I chatted tonight and she invited us to dinner at your house on Monday."

"Really!?" Willow asked excitedly with a huge smile making it's way across her face.

Jen nodded, amused with Willow's reaction. If she had glanced at Tara she also would have noticed the immense grin on her face as well.

"Yes, really," The older woman chuckled. "Anyway, I'm going to take a shower and head to bed. Tara, don't forget to come get the monitor when you get back."

"I won't, thanks Mom."

"Goodnight girls," Jen said, giving a little wave as she headed in.

"Goodnight," Both Willow and Tara said simultaneously.

Willow and Tara both watched as the door closed and Jen disappeared inside the house.

Once Jen was safely inside and out of earshot, they glanced at each other and began to giggle, releasing some pent up nervous energy.

"So..." They said simultaneously and giggling some more.

Tara tilted her head and shot Willow a seductive smile, "Where were we again?" Tara asked.

The redhead leaned forward, "I think we were right about here..." She said, before softly pressing her lips to Tara's.

This time the kiss was slow, sensuous and not nearly as heated as the last one. They were both careful not to let it get out of hand, and after a moment, Willow began to pull away and smiled sweetly at the blonde. "It's getting late..."

Tara nodded in response. "I know," She whispered, while gently stroking Willow cheeks with her thumbs. Unable to fight the pull, they came together again for several long moments before Tara forced herself up and away from the beautiful redhead. She picked up the melted pint of ice cream and headed for the door; smiling shyly when Willow opened it for her.

* * *

The ride to Willow's was quiet as both girls contemplated the recent change of events; not sure where things would go next or what all this meant for their friendship. Willow's hands rested in her lap and Tara's on the steering wheel. They were nervous and the quiet space between them was starting to grow slightly uncomfortable.

Tara pulled into the Rosenberg's driveway, leaving the car running. "So, I guess I'll see you Monday?"

"Monday..." Willow whispered, neither girl knowing exactly what they should do. They leaned in and kissed a bit awkwardly, followed by Willow opening the door and stepping out.

"Bye Tare." Willow said before heading up the front walk.

Tara sat slightly dazed, as she watched her friend walk away. After the wonderful evening they'd shared, she knew she couldn't leave things like this. She needed Willow to understand that it wasn't just a one time thing, and before she knew it, Tara was out of the car and running towards the house.

Willow wasn't sure what she was feeling as she walked slowly towards the front door. Everything had been so perfect and then ended so weirdly. As she stepped up on the front porch, she heard footsteps approaching rapidly. She turned just in time to see the blonde running up the steps.

"Willow...wait!" Tara exclaimed breathlessly as she practically threw herself at Willow; wrapping her arms tightly around the redhead in a bone crushing hug and crashing their lips together.

Willow was momentarily stunned, but soon reciprocated. They held each other close, kissing frantically as if their lives depended upon it. Willow lost her balance and stumbled backwards against the house; pressing repeatedly into the doorbell as the furious kissing continued.

Tara couldn't seem to get enough of the redhead. Then for the second time that night, a porch light popped on and an opening door snapped them apart.

The girls jumped just as the door swung open to reveal a very disheveled Ira Rosenberg; in his pajamas with a baseball bat clasped in his right hand.

"Who the hell...Willow?" Ira asked quizzically.

Willow quirked her lips in an embarrassed smile and gave a small wave. "Hi Dad...just little old me," She said as the crimson began to engulf her face.

"Did you forget your key?"

"My key? No..."

"Then why were you ringing the doorbell?"

"The doorbell?"

"Have you suddenly turned into a parrot?"

"A parrot?"

By this time Tara had both hands covering her mouth, trying to control an outburst of laughter at the odd and hilarious exchange between father and daughter.

Ira just shook his head, mumbling to himself as he turned and shuffled back upstairs. The only thing Tara could make out was something about [i]'teenagers and shenanigans'.[/i] She glanced at the redhead, whose face was now matching the color of her hair and they both began to laugh.

"We don't seem to be having very much luck tonight," Willow said.

"Oh, I think we've been _very_ lucky," Tara replied with a sultry smile and heavily lidded eyes.

Willow nearly melted into a puddle of goo before returning to Tara's warm embrace and a slow, mind bending kiss.

"Wow," Tara breathed when they finally ended the kiss and rested their foreheads together.

"Double wow," Willow added. "So, you'll text me and let me know you made it home okay?"

"Um hmm." Tara was at a loss for anything even closely resembling coherent speech.

They both knew it was time to part, they couldn't stand on Willow's porch kissing all night, but neither made any real effort to do so. Willow wrapped her arms around Tara's shoulders again and Tara snaked her arms tighter around Willow's waist. They pulled each other close, pressing their bodies snugly together and allowing their heads to rest against each other's shoulder. They swayed slowly back and forth in a silent dance, while Tara gently rubbed circles across Willow's lower back.

Tara's soft touch was totally messing with Willow's head and her mind was quickly descending into the land of the naughty. She realized that she needed to let go, for her sake, not to mention the possibility of her father returning. She began to pull away, but the allure of Tara's lips proved to be too much and she suddenly found her hands cupping Tara's face and bringing their lips together once again.

After a minute, Tara squeezed Willow's waist, breaking the kiss and taking a small step backwards. "I need to get going and if I don't go now...I may never leave," She breathed in a somewhat desperate whisper.

"I know..."

"I'll text you."

Willow nodded, "Okay." She released Tara's face and dropped her hands; running them along Tara's forearms. They stared intently and kissed one last time before finally letting go.

Willow sighed happily, running her fingers over her lips and still feeling the tingle. She leaned in the doorway and watched until the bright red taillights dimmed and eventually disappeared.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Thanks for the reviews everyone! They are much appreciated as always!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 21**_

Tara awoke with a start, sitting straight up in bed at the sound of her daughter's cries being broadcast loudly through the baby monitor.

"Uggghhh..." She groaned as she fell back on her pillow, rolling her head towards the bright red light of the digital clock. "Four AM, seriously?" Tara's complaints did nothing to stop the crying that was coming from down the hall and getting louder by the second. "Okay, okay I'm coming...keep your diaper on."

Tara pulled back the covers and climbed wearily out of bed, making a feeble attempt to tame her wild golden locks as she stumbled down the darkened hall. She shivered slightly, dressed only in a thin tank top and panties; rubbing her arms to try and alleviate the goose bumps. She flipped a switch in the hall before entering Chelsea's room; she'd learned that keeping it fairly dark helped in getting her baby back to sleep quicker.

As Tara entered the room, she paused, caught completely off guard at the sight of Chelsea standing up, teetering back and forth; her hands tightly gripping the crib rail. The infant was red faced and still crying while trying desperately trying to hold herself up on wobbly little legs. As soon as she saw her mommy she cried out, "Maaamaa..."

Tara gasped, moving quickly to the side of the crib. Tara began to sniffle, unable to keep the tears away as she reached out and picked up her daughter. "Oh Sweetie, you stood up and you talked?" Tara was completely overcome with emotion. "Mommy's here sweetheart..." She sniffled, smothering the little girl with kisses. "Mommy's here…I love you so much."

As Tara spoke and cradled her daughter, Chelsea eventually calmed down enough for Tara to change her diaper. Still exhausted and cold, Tara decided to take the infant to bed with her. She climbed into her bed, pulled the comforter up and propped herself against the headboard to feed her daughter. The squirmy little girl happily latched onto her mother's breast and her entire body finally relaxed.

Tara held her close, while affectionately rubbing her head and feeling overloaded with love.

_I wish Willow was here..._ Tara felt a sudden sense of sadness wash through her and found herself wishing she could have shared the moment with Willow. _She would have been so excited and probably burst out in an adorable Willow-babble._ With that thought fresh in her mind, Tara reached for her cell on the night stand and pulled up the picture of the three of them from the football game. Willow had emailed them to her on Saturday morning and Tara saved them on her phone. Tara smiled reverently and traced a finger down the bridge of Willow's nose and across her rosy lips; remembering the feel of those lips on hers just s few short hours ago.

_Has it only been a few hours?_ Tara smiled at the happy memory, as a tear dripped down her cheek. Then, before it consciously registered in her tired brain, she found herself dialing the redhead; longing to hear Willow's voice.

When her cell rang, Willow nearly hit the ceiling and upon seeing that it was Tara at close to four-thirty in the morning...she almost fell out of the bed.

"Hello? Tara?" Willow answered in a concerned voice.

"Will..." Tara sniffled.

Willow instantly became frantic. "Oh God, what's wrong? Are you okay? Why are you crying? Is it Chelsea? What happened? Is she okay? Should I come over? I can be there in five minutes...Tara? Tara?"

"I'm...we're fine." The blonde whispered. "I just...I-I just needed to hear your voice."

"Oh..." _She called me in the middle of the night just to hear my voice? That's so sweet._ "Tare...you um, you don't sound fine...you're crying, and in my book that's not fine, in fact that's well beyond the definition of fine. Did you have a nightmare? Are you sure you don't want me to come over?" Just hearing her friend in distress was enough to send Willow straight out the door, even in the middle of the night.

"No, it's early and dark and I'd worry too much. I'm sorry...I-I didn't mean to scare you. I just...Chelsea woke up and she was standing and then she called me Mama..." As soon as Tara said the words, she began sobbing once again.

"Oh Tare...really?" Willow was finally able to put the pieces together.

"Yeah, it was amazing, just hearing her little voice for the first time," Tara sniffled and laughed at the absurdity of her behavior. "I'm so sorry, I must sound like a complete idiot. I'm sorry I woke you, I don't know _what_ came over me." Even though it sounded like Willow didn't mind, Tara was starting to feel embarrassed. Not only had she imposed upon Willow by waking her up at four in the morning, she had nearly scared her to death in the process.

"Tara, don't be sorry, it's a huge moment. I'm honored to be the one you wanted to share it with," Willow whispered.

"You're my best friend, of course I wanted to share it with you. It's just, I think that next time I should probably not do it in the middle of the night."

"It's okay," Willow replied, "I don't mind, really. You can call me anytime you want...day or night. That's what friends are for, right?" Willow tried to sound upbeat to Tara, but inwardly, she was conflicted. _Is that all we are, are friends? Even after..._ Willow sunk down in her bed, feeling very confused about the state of their relationship. More specifically, their romantic relationship, if that's what it was. She was starting to feel incredibly stupid for thinking they were more than friends.

It appeared to Willow that Tara was sending her mixed signals. One minute with the kisses and the next just friends. Willow sighed; maybe she was just tired and not thinking clearly. They needed to talk, Willow needed to clarify things, but now wasn't the time.

"Will, are y-you okay?"

"Huh?" Willow jumped at the sound of Tara's voice, she'd been so deep in thought and she almost forgot they were on the phone. "Oh yeah, I guess I'm just tired."

"Okay well, I-I guess I'll let you go. Can I um, can I c-call you tomorrow?" Tara asked nervously. She had no idea why she was so nervous; it was just something in Willow's voice. Something wasn't right. _Maybe it's because you called her at this un-godly hour and just expected her to be alert and attentive. Stupid Tara! Stupid!_

"Sure." Willow said flatly.

Tara frowned at Willow's tone, but had no idea what to do. Things were awkward yet again and she was starting to wonder if they would ever figure out how to communicate without hurting each other's feelings. "So, tomorrow..."

"Tomorrow...g'nite Tara.

"Nite Will." Tara hung up and glanced down at Chelsea, who was sound asleep, yet still attached to Tara's breast. She popped her off the swollen nipple and laid the baby next to her as she slid down under the covers and sighed. Rolling towards Chelsea, Tara leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "Eventually your Mommy will figure out how to not screw everything up." Tara whispered before closing her eyes, hoping she could go back to sleep.

* * *

Willow was snoring softly when she was awakened for the second time in in the last few hours by the shrill ring of her cell. Once again, she sat straight up and nearly fell out of the bed trying to get to her phone.

"Geez Tara, I would have thought you'd let me get _some_ sleep," The redhead grumbled, feeling instantly guilty when she saw that it was Marcie calling and not Tara.

"Hello?"

"Willow! Hi, it's Marcie."

"Um hmm, so I see. What's up...at eight-thirty on a Sunday morning?"

"I'm reeeeealy sorry to wake you, but I have a situation."

"And..." Willow asked, even though she knew exactly why Marcie had called.

"Well, I'm short handed and I was wondering if you would like to pick up some hours? I can even pay you a little extra." The assistant manager pleads.

Willow sighed deeply, she didn't really _want_ to go in to work, but Marcie had always been good to her and she felt obligated to return the favor. "Um, for how long?"

"I'm not sure, two-ish, maybe longer? Charlie and Eddie both called in sick and Wendy is a no-show. If everyone shows up for the afternoon shift, I can have you out after lunch. Willow you know I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate and-"

"It's okay." Willow interrupted, already sliding out of bed and heading for the bathroom. "I'll do it."

"Great! Thank you soooo much Willow I _really_ appreciate it. See you soon?"

"Uh huh, in about twenty or thirty minutes."

"Okay, see you then...bye!"

"Bye."

* * *

Willow's morning at the Doublemeat had been fairly uneventful, they weren't very busy, but it felt a little chaotic since they were still down two people. Tara had called around eleven and their conversation was short. Willow explained what was going on and then had to go because she was running one of the front registers. Lunch, however, had been a different story. They'd had quite a large rush and Willow was dragging as the afternoon wore on.

She had her head down when out of the corner of her eye she saw someone approach her register.

"Welcome to the Doublemeat, what can I get for you today?" She asked without even looking up.

"I'd like to order the cute redhead to go please."

Willow's head shot up and a huge grin spread across her face. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

Tara smiled sweetly, "We just happened to be on our way to the park and thought maybe you'd like to join us?"

Willow stood up on her tippy toes and glanced over the counter at Chelsea in the stroller, "Oh, I-I don't know," She stammered. "Not that I don't want to, but I'm still kinda stuck here."

Tara sighed, discreetly reaching across the counter and covering Willow's hand with hers. "I understand, I was just...hoping," She said as she lightly ran her hand across Willow's; feeling compelled to reestablish their connection.

No matter how Willow had been feeling after the early morning phone call, Tara's touch made all things better. She turned her hand over, so they were palm to palm and gently played with Tara's fingers before letting go when Marcie walked up to get something out from under the counter.

Marcie looked up at Tara, smiled and nodded a 'hello' as she pulled out a box of napkins and proceeded to fill a napkin holder a few feet away.

"So," Tara said, "I guess we'd better get going then. Call me later?" She asked hopefully.

Willow nodded, "Okay, thanks for stopping by." With that Tara turned the stroller and pushed Chelsea out of the restaurant.

Willow slouched and a solid frown became embedded on her face.

Marcie glanced over at her co-worker, _So, Willow's not driving stick anymore..._ Marcie thought to herself. "Hey Red, what's up with Blondie? She need you to sit today?"

"Huh? Oh no, they're going to the park and asked me to go, but you know, I'm here..." Willow said sadly.

"Sounds thrilling. You don't want to go?" Marcie smirked.

Willow didn't reply and simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Go."

"What?"

"Go, before I change my mind."

"A-Are you sure? No, I can stay...I would never leave you short."

Marcie's smirk remained, "And have to look at that face for the rest of the day? Forget it...go and you'd better hurry before she leaves you." Marcie pointed towards the parking lot.

"Oh crap!" Willow exclaimed, charging from behind the counter and out the front door.

* * *

"Thanks for waiting for me to change and get cleaned up a little," Willow said as the girls walked side by side through the park.

"No problem, I'm just glad you could come."

Willow nodded in agreement, "Me too." She was a little nervous, not knowing what to do with her hands. She finally placed her right hand tentatively on the stroller handle near Tara's.

Tara snickered, "Will, you can hold my hand if you want to, you don't have to ask."

Willow's face turned beet red, "Was I that obvious?"

Tara giggled and placed her hand on top of Willow's, entwining their fingers as they pushed the stroller down the uneven path. "Ooh, that looks like the perfect spot!" Tara exclaimed as she pointed to a shaded and grassy out of the way spot under a large oak tree.

Once at their destination, Tara pulled a large quilt from underneath the stroller and began to shake it out as Willow unstrapped Chelsea. She rubbed noses with the little girl eliciting a loud giggle before setting her down on the blanket with some soft toys. She and Tara joined Chelsea, plopping down on either side.

Willow lay on her side, watching dreamily as Tara sat cross-legged and played with her daughter, holding out a toy and shaking it to get her attention. _God, she is beautiful._ Willow was completely caught up in the moment. She noticed how the sun trickled through the leaves and it's rays danced across Tara's hair, giving her an almost ethereal glow. So entranced was she that she failed to notice Tara was now staring at her too.

"What are you thinking about?"

Willow looked up through the lovesick haze and without any hesitation she whispered honestly. "You."

Tara nearly melted. "Willow, I'm sorry...about this morning."

"What...why?" Willow asked curiously.

Tara shrugged, "I-It just s-s-seems l-l-like...damn it." She cursed through gritted teeth, in complete frustration with her stutter.

"Hey," Willow said as she sat up, reaching out and taking Tara's hand, in an attempt to calm her nerves. "It's just me, what's wrong?"

Tara took a deep breath and looked up at Willow with unshed tears in her eyes, "I feel like I keep m-messing things up, between us, and hurting your f-feelings and I have no idea how or why, but I know it's my fault and I don't mean to."

Willow furrowed her brow, "When?"

"This morning, on the phone? You got quiet and I thought it was because I woke you up but, now I'm not so sure..."

Willow was surprised; she had no idea Tara had been in tuned to her mood. "Tara, I'm...I guess I'm just a little confused, about us? I mean, are we an _us_ o-or are we just _best friends_, with benefits? I'm new to all of this and I kinda feel like the junior partner or something. You said you called because you wanted to share with your _best friend_ and after last night I thought we were more, but then you said...friend and-"

Tara finally realized the mixed signals she was sending to Willow, it was purely accidental, but she understood why Willow was apprehensive. Tara reached out and pressed two fingers to Willow's lips. She was feeling extremely stupid for the second time in the last twenty-four hours. "You _are _my best friend and you always will be, but I was hoping…for more. I-If that's what you want too?"

Willow smiled, taking Tara's hand and gently kissing her palm, "I want...more than anything."


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey all thanks for the great feedback! Sorry about the typo and the []. It's BBCode that I write for posting on another board, then I edit in here and sometimes miss deleting them to all the italics. What can I say, shit happens. Send me a PM when you find stuff and I'll go back and fix it. **

**Anyway, without further ado...**

* * *

**_Chapter 22_**

Willow checked her watch for the about the hundredth time in the last ten minutes as she nervously paced at the foot of her driveway. Checking the time once more she sighed deeply, turned and marched back up the driveway and into the house.

"Mom!" Willow called out loudly.

Sheila emerged from the kitchen in her pajamas and a bathrobe with a cup of coffee in her hands. "Willow, what are you still doing here?"

"Can you give me a ride to school?"

"He's a no show?" Sheila's face contorted as if she'd just sucked on a lime. "I can't say that I'm surprised."

"Mom please, just let it go. I'm sure he has a good reason."

"Um hmm, I guess he forgot how to dial a phone as well." Sheila mumbled as she moved past Willow and up the stairs.

Willow rolled her eyes, her Mother's disdain for her oldest friend was legendary. "Can you drop me or am I gonna have to walk?"

"Willow, give me a minute to get changed, geez."

"You don't need to change, it's not like you're getting out of the car. I can't be tardy. I can get in trouble for excessive tardies you know!" Willow yelled up the stairs after her mother.

Sheila ignored Willow's dramatic outburst, knowing full well that her daughter did not have _any_ tardies, let alone any _excessive _ones and would sooner have her hair catch on fire than to be late for school. "Settle down Willow. I'm not going in my pajamas and without a bra. The last time I did, Mr. Caruthers decided it would be a good time to stop me in the driveway and discuss world economics."

Willow snorted with laughter; their elderly neighbor, Mr. Caruthers, was somewhat of a geriatric flirt and couldn't care less about _world economics_.

"I heard that!"

A few minutes later both Rosenberg women were in the Mercedes and on their way to Sunnydale High. "So, how are things? You're so busy these days that we never get a chance to talk anymore." Sheila said.

"Oh, sorry. Everything's fine, you know…busy." Willow answered, having been caught without a ready-made answer.

"Willow, that was lame," The older redhead chuckled. "I know it's none of my business, but I don't why do you continually rely on that Harris boy when he always seems to disappoint you." Throughout the years Sheila Rosenberg had grown weary of Xander Harris' antics, especially where Willow was concerned. She was well aware of her daughters' unrequited crush on the boy, even though Willow assumed she was clueless. She watched as Willow pined for the boy, going out of her way for him; only to be let down time and time again. Willow may be on the verge of adulthood, but she was still Sheila's little girl and the elder redhead was tired of seeing Willow's heart continuously broken.

"You and Tara seem to be getting pretty close, why not just ask her for a ride?"

"What!? W-What do you mean close!?" Willow semi-shouted.

Sheila looked at her daughter questioningly, "Are you sure you're okay? You're not coming down with something are you?"

_Oh, I'm coming down with something alright_. "No, why do you ask?" _This drive cannot end soon enough_.

"Oh, no reason…" Sheila smirked in Willow's direction.

Willow instantly grew flush with embarrassment, "Sorry, I-I didn't mean to yell."

Sheila chuckled at her daughter's theatrics. "Well, I for one am very glad you two hit it off and reconnected after all these years. Tara seems to have grown into a lovely young woman."

"Yeah…" Willow smiled dreamily. _Lovely doesn't even begin to cover it_. "It's nice having a girl best friend."

Sheila grinned widely; it truly was music to her ears. "So, why not ask your best friend for a ride?"

Willow thought for a moment. _Why don't I ride to school with Tara? Oh yeah, the Cordette thing_. "I guess I just don't want to hurt Xander's feelings. We don't get to see each other much anymore."

Silently, Sheila did a happy dance in her mind. "Oh well…that's a shame."

"Gosh Mom, you could at least _try_ to sound convincing."

Sheila simply shrugged her shoulders. She certainly did not have any qualms about voicing her opinion where '_that Harris boy_' was concerned. "So, would you like for me to pick you up as well? You can go to the store with me, I need to shop for tonight."

Willow grinned widely, "Sure!" In her haste to get to school, she'd almost forgotten that Tara and her family were coming over for dinner. Her day suddenly brightened.

As Sheila pulled to a stop in front of the school, Willow thanked her for the ride and bounced happily out of the car. Without another single thought of Xander Harris.

* * *

Willow waited anxiously outside the classroom door, playing with the straps of her backpack when the bell finally rang and the students began to file out. A wide grin stretched across her face when she spotted Tara; rushing up behind the blonde and tapping her on the shoulder.

"Tara!"

"Hey!" Tara replied, thrilled to see her friend.

"Look at you. All coming out of class and everything."

"I do that sometimes. Usually at the end part of the class."

Willow grinned again and poked her tongue out between her teeth; her hands once again going to the straps of her backpack.

"So, is this becoming a regular thing? You and me after class…" When she didn't get a response, Tara leaned towards Willow, "Hey, I was just kidding around. What's wrong? You seem kinda nervous or something."

"Oh sorry," Willow said, ducking her head shyly. "I was um, trying to keep my hands occupied with something…else, besides…you know, yours," She whispered.

Tara smiled and nodded in return; she knew all too well how hard it was keeping her hands to herself. She had what amounted to a death grip on her book bag, desperately trying not to reach out and run her fingers down those adorable freckled cheeks. _This is going to be harder than I thought_.

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to have lunch with me and the gang today?" Willow asked.

Tara scrunched her forehead, "Oh, I-I didn't bring anything-"

"I did," Willow said quickly, "I mean, I brought extra…just in case."

"You did?" Willow nodded and smiled proudly. "That's so sweet, of course I will." Tara said, playfully bumping shoulders as they walked towards the quad.

"I looked for you this morning, but I didn't see your car in the lot. Were you late?" Willow asked.

"Almost, I kinda overslept and barely made it into my seat in first period before the bell rang."

"A little night owl keeping you up?" Willow asked knowingly as she opened the doors that lead out to the quad.

"Yeah…twice, so I just put her in my bed again, got comfy and overslept. I'm starting to wonder why I wasted money on a crib," Tara chuckled.

"Hey guys!" Willow said as they approached the group that was already sitting in a semi-circle and just starting to break open their lunches.

"Hey Willow and…Tara?" Jesse said.

Tara waved shyly, "Hi, everyone."

"Tara's going to eat with us today," Willow announced to the group.

"Cool," Jesse grinned, jumping up and offering Tara a seat next to him on the bench.

Willow's eyes narrowed at her friend, knowing full well what his intentions were. "No! She's sitting with me!" She suddenly shouted a little louder than expected; grabbing a hold of Tara's arm possessively and pulling her backwards. Willow began to fidget as all eyes looked at her strangely. "I mean, we're um, sharing a lunch so we kinda need to sit together…thanks though."

Tara glanced at Willow and smiled at the adorable jealous outburst, before plopping down on the ground; pulling Willow down with her. The others went back to idle chatter as Willow dug through her backpack looking for her lunch bag.

"So, what'd you bring for us?" Tara asked curiously as Willow pulled out a large bag of food.

"Oh um, let's see…peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, pudding cups, bananas, raisins, cheese, some Cheetos, a brownie and juice boxes!" She exclaimed triumphantly.

Tara giggled, "All my favorites."

Willow leaned in towards Tara and whispered, "I know."

As the girls dug into their lunch, Willow noticed that she hadn't heard a peep from Xander and could feel his eyes boring into her. She looked up, briefly and just as their eyes met, he immediately looked away.

"Why are you here?" Anya blurted, out of the blue.

"What?" Willow asked, looking up to see Anya staring at Tara; whose expression was one of bewilderment.

Anya whipped her head towards Willow. "Why is she here?"

"To eat lunch with me?" Willow replied.

Anya jerked her head back towards Tara. "You can't have him!"

"Who?" Tara asked, completely confused.

"Xander, that's who. He's mine!"

"Oookay…" Tara answered and looked to Willow for an explanation and received a pair of shrugging shoulders instead.

"I don't _belong_ to you Anh. I'm not a piece of property." It was the first words Xander had spoken and judging from his tone, he was clearly annoyed with the girl. She attempted to take his hand, but he quickly pulled it away.

"I'm just saying that…oh forget it!" Anya semi shouted as she rose and stormed off.

Willow eyed Xander suspiciously when he didn't immediately run after Anya. It had been a specific pattern, a game they liked to play. Anya would get mad and storm off, then Xander would give chase and grovel. Except this time, he never budged. In fact, he didn't even look up to see where she'd gone.

"Aren't you going to see if she's okay?" Willow finally asked.

"Nope," Xander responded in a flat tone as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Where were you?" Willow asked.

"When?" Xander looked completely perplexed by Willow's random question.

"This morning, where were you? I waited like, forever. You were supposed to pick me up for school. Remember?"

Xander looked down at the ground. "Oh…yeah I…" Then he suddenly sat up straighter and looked Willow straight in the eyes with all the confidence he could muster. "I had plans…_other_." He said snidely, using Willow's own words against her.

"You could have called, I was almost late!" Willow exclaimed.

"Yeah, sorry…" Xander's words trailed off as something in the distance caught his eye. He nodded and began to furiously shove everything into his backpack. "Anyway, I gotta run, see you later!" He said as he jumped up and darted across the quad.

"Hey! Xander, wait! What about…tomorrow..." Willow's words fell on deaf ears as Xander quickly disappeared behind the stairs.

Jesse and Willow simply looked at each other with stunned expressions on their faces while Tara continued to remain silent; glancing between the two friends.

"Well," Jesse said, "This has been a real slice of heaven and as much as I would _love_ to stick around…"

"I know, I know…see you around Jesse."

"Bye Will, bye Tara!"

"Bye." The girls said in unison. Willow propped her elbows on her knees and leaned forward with her hands under her chin. It was all Tara could do not rub a comforting hand across her back and pull her close.

"Will?"

"Hmm?" Willow lifted her hear towards Tara.

"I um, I'd love to give you a ride to school…everyday." Tara looked deeply into emerald green eyes and they brightened almost immediately.

"Really?"

Tara nodded, "I've wanted to ask you for awhile, but I didn't want to impose on your time w-with Xander." Willow didn't answer, just gazed dreamily into Tara's eyes. "And I promise never to leave you stranded. Sooo, is that a yes?"

"Definitely, I was hoping you'd ask…" Willow lost her train of thought, staring helplessly at Tara's plump and inviting lips. "God Tara, it's all I can do not to kiss you right now."

Tara trembled as the now familiar tingly sensation began to spread throughout her body. "I know," She breathed, as she began to unconsciously lean towards Willow "I've wanted to kiss you from the second I saw you in the hall."

"You did?" Willow replied, also starting to lean forward.

Tara nodded almost desperately, "Umm hmm." _Just a few more inches and_…

"Come on," Willow said, quickly gathering up the trash and jumping to her feet.

"Where are we going?" Tara asked as she stood and was pulled towards the stairs by her shirtsleeve.

"Someplace private." Willow said breathily as she dragged Tara up the concrete stairs and towards the school's bell tower.

"I thought the tower door was locked?" Whispered Tara as they passed several other students on the stairs.

"It is, but I know the combination."

Tara wasn't sure how or why the redhead knew the combination and at the moment, she didn't really care. All she wanted to do was kiss the girl senseless.

Once they arrived at the tower, they waited for a few other kids to pass before Willow quickly dialed the combo into the sophisticated electronic door handle. The light turned green and she turned the knob slowly; cautiously peering around to make sure the coast was clear. Once satisfied, she pushed the door open, pulled Tara inside and smashed their lips together.

"Mmmhhh," Tara moaned, dropping her bag to the floor and wrapping her arms around Willow's neck.

Willow did the same with her backpack, freeing her hands to roam across Tara's back. As the kiss deepened, she pulled Tara tighter against her, until there was no space between them and their bodies were snug against one another.

The kiss lasted several minutes as tongues dueled and hands wandered. "I just can't seem to get enough of you…" Willow breathed when they finally came up for air.

"Ditto," Tara said before cupping Willow's cheeks and pulling their lips back together. Punctuating her words with a kiss. "Mmmhh Willow, I…could…kiss…you…all…day…"

"Okay…" It was the last word that was uttered for more than ten minutes until the first bell rang; forcing the girls back to reality.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Hi All! Thanks so much for the reviews! I can't really answer the Xander questions because I don't want to give anything away. We'll find out in time what his deal is. Right now, however, we all just have to get through his hormonal bitchiness, lol. Thanks for not beating me up over typos. I'm the worlds WORST typist. Plus, my glasses are broken...a recipe for disaster! **_

_**Thanks again and keep the positive feedback coming!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 23**_

To say that Tara was a nervous wreck was an understatement of gigantic proportions. Tara had been thinking all afternoon about the late night encounter with Willow's Dad from a few days prior and had managed to whip herself into a full-blown panic. She'd not only changed her clothes at least a half dozen times, but had also done the same to poor little Chelsea and the infant was none too pleased about it. It seemed the entire content of Tara's closet were piled on the bed as well as strewn all over the bedroom floor. Tara tugged on the hem of a muted gold turtleneck sweater she wore over a long dark red skirt and turned to her daughter.

"Okay, what do you think? I-Is this appropriate 'meet the parents' attire or should I wear pants?"

Chelsea simply sat in the middle of a clothes fortress on the floor in nothing but a diaper; staring blankly at her mother.

"Come on Chels," Tara whined, "Help your Mommy out here. How about a big smile for yes and a poopy face for no?" Chelsea continued to stare for a few more seconds before going back to crawling in and out of the over turned laundry basket. "Chels…"

"Did you seriously just ask a baby for wardrobe advice?"

Tara jumped and emitted a small yelp. "Mom! Don't sneak up on me like that, you scared me half to death!"

Jen giggled as she leaned her shoulder against the doorjamb. "Sweetie, what's all the hub-bub? It's just a casual dinner with friends."

As Jen's words began to sink in, Tara's embarrassment caused her cheeks to become flushed. "I know, I'm just w-worried and I want to m-make a good impression with the Rosenberg's."

Jen eyed her daughter curiously, "You just saw Sheila a couple nights ago and you were wearing a lot less."

Tara whirled towards the mirror again. "I know and t-that was probably a m-mistake, plus I'll have Chelsea and it'll be both of them and-"

"Sweetie, you're babbling." She pushed off the door and entered the bedroom.

Tara ducked her head nervously, "It's just, I-I don't w-want them to think I'm a b-bad influence on W-Willow or think p-poorly of me or…"

"Hey," Jen said softly, wincing with every stuttered word as she lifted Tara's chin and brushed the hair out of her watery eyes. "You have nothing to be ashamed of and they won't judge you. They're very nice people." Tara smiled a little and nodded. "Besides, since when did you start wearing turtleneck sweaters in Southern California?"

Tara sighed in exasperation, "Too much?"

"Slightly, I like the skirt, but how about you lose the sweater and wear these instead?" Jen picked up a black camisole and lacey long sleeve scoop-neck blouse.

"Okay and what do you think about my black onyx necklace to go with it?"

"Perfect and how about my adorable little granddaughter?" Jen cooed as she picked Chelsea up off the floor. "I see you've tortured her with multiple outfit changes as well."

Tara rolled her bright blue eyes as she peeled off the sweater and changed into the blouse ensemble; turning to the full-length mirror and straightening out the new top. "Better?"

"Much, you look beautiful. Now get a move on, you don't want to keep Willow waiting, she'll pace a hole in the floor if we don't get there on time." Jen smiled and winked as she handed Chelsea off to Tara and headed downstairs to finish getting herself and the dessert ready.

Tara smiled, knowing exactly how right her mother was in anticipating Willow's state of mind. She grabbed an outfit for Chelsea off her dresser and laid the infant on the bed. "We're going to see your Will-Will! How about we get you dressed?"

* * *

True to form Willow was manically pacing around her room, making sure it was just so having already smoothed out the bedspread at least a half dozen times. She gravitated to the fish tank and sprinkled in some flakes as the hungry occupants floated to the top for their dinner.

"You guys get to meet Tara tonight!" Willow said happily, rambling on to her fishy pets. "I think you're really gonna like her and you already met her daughter Chelsea. Remember, adorable little blonde? Well, if you think she's cute, you should see her Mommy. She's the most beautiful girl in the entire world and she's my girlfriend, I-I think. Anyway, I've never had one of those before, but it's a good thing and you better get used to seeing her around a lot…hopefully for a very long time."

Willow put the cap back on the fish food and sat it on top of the tank. _Is Tara my girlfriend?_ Willow felt like she was, but wasn't sure if it was official or not. They hadn't really said the words out loud and she had no idea how it actually worked. _Should I ask? Maybe give her my class ring to wear on a necklace? And she could give me her letter jacket or something. Do people even do that kind of stuff anymore?_ "No, they change their Facebook status and tag their significant other. Significant other," Willow snorted with a chuckle, "That sounds so dumb and…and sorta generic. I mean why not lover, mate, companion or even…paramour!"

Willow jumped, startled by a slight knock on her door. "Honey, are you ready, I think they're here." Sheila spoke through the door.

A huge smile quickly spread across Willow's face as she threw her door open and darted towards the stairs; passing her Mom in a whirlwind. Leaving Sheila behind, laughing at her daughter's antics.

Just as Willow reached the bottom of the stairs, the doorbell rang. She stopped before opening the door, taking a deep breath and straightening her blouse one last time. She finally reached for the handle and swung the door open; grinning widely and unable to take her eyes off Tara.

The blonde looked absolutely radiant as she stood holding Chelsea. "Hi," Tara said, her eyes never moving from Willow's as if she were in some sort of trance. They stood unmoving and still on the porch until Jen waved a hand in between the girls and snapped them out of it.

"Hi…Oh! I'm sorry, come in…please." Willow's cheeks burned and she stepped back to usher in the three generations of Maclay women. "Here, let me help you," Willow said as she reached for the diaper bag slung over Tara's shoulder, but ended up with a squirmy, playful baby instead.

The infant squealed and lunged when she saw her Will-Will reach towards them. "Awww, hey cutie patootie! C'mere you. How's my favorite little monkey?" Willow said as she tickled under Chelsea's chin and rubbed their noses together. The happy baby responded with a bright smile and began to kick excitedly.

"Looks like someone's happy to see you Willow," Sheila said as she approached from behind her daughter. "Jennifer Maclay…as I live and breath! You look fantastic! It's so wonderful to see you again." Sheila reached out and embraced her old friend for several seconds.

"Sheila, it's wonderful to see you as well. It's has been way too long." Jen responded. Ira soon joined them, with more hugs and much in the way of the Rosenberg's doting over baby Chelsea.

As the adults chatted and gravitated towards the kitchen, Willow, Tara and Chelsea fell back towards the stairs.

"Hey you," Tara whispered in Willow's ear, reaching out and discretely running a hand down the back of Willow's arm.

Willow smiled sappily, "Hey…wanna go up and see my room?" Tara nodded vigorously. "Um, we're just gonna head up to my room…"

Sheila glanced over her shoulder and wave a hand, "Okay hun."

Willow grinned at Tara as they started up the stairs, stopping every few steps so Tara could look at the many photos that hung on the wall. Tara felt a slight twinge of jealousy at how happy they all looked together. The closeness between the three Rosenberg's were apparent in every photo.

She couldn't stop her mind from wandering back to her family and how cold their photos were in comparison. In fact, there were only a few with all four of them that she could even remember and they were all in albums. Her father considered it decadent to hang things on the walls and had only allowed crosses or framed bible verses. The only picture hanging on any wall in the Maclay house was a huge artistic rendering of Jesus nailed to the cross, which had hung above the fireplace. Thinking about the bloody image caused a chill to go down Tara's spine and she instantly broke out in goose bumps; wrapping her arms around herself and squeezing her eyes shut.

"Hey, are you cold?" Willow asked, mistaking the defensive move as one of needing warmth.

"Huh? Oh, a l-little, but I'm fine." Tara shook the unwanted thoughts from her mind. _Over, it's over and doesn't matter anymore. I'm happy now and all that is in the past._

She walked up a few more steps and paused once again. This time with a huge grin. "Awwww, look at you! Oh my gosh, this is the cutest picture I've ever seen!"

"It's not…I-I look like a redheaded Eddie Munster!" Willow protested, her cheeks flushing madly.

"You look precious. How old were you? Looks like you were around Chelsea's age?" Tara said as she ascended the last several steps and followed behind Willow down the hall to her bedroom.

"Over a year, I think? I've always looked young because I was a preemie."

"Really?" This was new information for Tara.

"Umm hmm, I was over two months early and spent about eight weeks in the NICU until I weighed enough to come home. I was only three and a half pounds when I was born. My Mom had lot's of complications and that's why I don't have any siblings."

Tara's brow crinkled in sympathy, "Oh Sweetie, I'm sorry."

Willow shrugged her shoulders and grinned, "It's okay, being an only child has its perks." She said as she opened the door to her incredibly large bedroom.

"Oh wow," Tara breathed, "You have a balcony?"

"Yep, but don't worry, I bought a sliding lock and installed it at the top so Chelsea can't get out a-and child safety plug thingy's and made sure there were no sharp corners and mmmhh…" Tara's lips effectively silenced Willow's babble, but only briefly.

"Taaara!" Willow exclaimed as she pulled away and pointed towards Chelsea, who was still snug in her arms.

"What?" The blonde asked innocently.

"She's watching," Willow whispered.

"And she needs to get used to it." Tara grinned, leaning in towards Willow for another kiss. This time the redhead used her free hand to try and shield Chelsea's eyes, but Tara caught the movement and pulled her hand down before pressing their lips together again.

Willow was allowing her lips to linger as she felt an extremely bored Chelsea attempting to push away; anxious to get down and explore the new space. She broke the kiss, giggling and placed the baby on the floor and turned back to Tara, cupping her cheeks and pulling her closer for a proper kiss.

After a long moment, they pulled apart. "You look nice…beautiful even," Willow commented, running her hands down Tara's arms.

"Thanks, you do too. You look really good in green."

"Oh, it's just a shirt and jeans but…thanks." Willow wasn't used to such comments and fidgeted anxiously.

"So, I really love your room." Tara couldn't help but smile as she began to take in her best friends bedroom.

Willow's room was tidy, but full of personality. The walls were covered with various posters, clippings, pictures and stickers. In one corner there was a small table with a large lit up rocket shaped lava lamp, which Chelsea was completely mesmerized with. Next to it, against the same wall, was Willow's desk. Her laptop was open with the screensaver running, looking as if she had just been on it only moments before. There were other desk type items neatly placed on the desk, a completed Rubik's Cube and several small-framed pictures of Willow, Xander and Jesse.

Tara continued to take in the room while Willow diligently watched over Chelsea. The blonde wanted to absorb everything Willow. She gravitated towards Willow's bed with its thick wicker headboard that held a large green stuffed snake draped across the top and an eclectic set of pillows and bedding. Tara ran her hand across the top of a lampshade that was covered with a sheer scarf; matching the one on the opposite side of the bed. She imagined Willow shaking out the scarves and delicately placing them over the top of the lamps to dim the light.

One of the things Tara decided she loved the most was how nothing really matched; yet everything seemed to flow. On one side of the bed was an apothecary type nightstand with six small drawers and on the other side was a funky postmodern black and white checked table; once again the word eclectic came to mind. It was all so very…[i]Willow[/i]. Tara observed another lava lamp on the dresser and numerous candles on just about every surface. She closed her eyes and pictured the room lit only by those candles and how romantic it must be. Tara sat down on the bed and pulled Willow's favorite stuffed puppy into her lap. She gently pet its head, then snuggled it to her chest and inhaled Willow's gentle scent radiating from the toy.

Willow watched in rapt fasciation as the girl moved gracefully about her room, taking everything in and leaving nothing to chance. Willow felt her stomach flip at the sight of Tara on her bed and snuggling her puppy. She didn't mean to stare, but she couldn't look away either. The soft light from the covered lamp cast a light glow over Tara's smooth ivory skin. The girl was absolutely breathtaking.

Before she even knew what she was doing, Willow crossed the room in three quick steps and found herself sitting next to Tara on the side of the bed. Tara barely had a chance to turn fully before Willow was cupping her cheeks and kissing her passionately. The puppy tumbled from Tara's lap as her hands moved to Willow's waist and encircled her back.

They melted against one another and pressed their bodies as close as the position would allow. Willow could feel the arousal building to dangerous levels and squeezed her thighs together, trying desperately to keep her hormones at bay. Willow's body was begging her to satisfy the need, but logic finally prevailed as the haze began to clear. She pulled back with several quick kisses and rested her forehead on Tara's.

Willow was breathing heavily as she opened her eyes. "Tara…" She whispered.

Willow stopped even before she started. There were things that she wanted to say, but the words eluded her. She wanted to open up and give voice to her feelings, because they were intense; beyond intense. What Willow was feeling was bordering on the big, mother of all words. It was too late to say she was falling; she was well beyond falling and already deep into fallen territory. But there was something there, in the back of her mind, something niggling and keeping her from completely opening herself up to the girl. It was telling her to keep quite and keep her feelings to herself, so she did.

Tara gazed into Willow's soft green eyes and kissed her again. "I know…" No more words were needed as they sat, foreheads together and holding each other tightly.

The girls were pulled from their reverie by Chelsea's delighted squeal from across the room. She had managed to pull herself up to a standing position and was excitedly slapping the front side of the fish tank.

Tara smiled tenderly, making sure her daughter wasn't into anything she wasn't supposed to be and then turned back to Willow. "Are you okay?" She asked holding Willow's hands tightly.

Willow nodded, "Yeah, I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay, I get it. I _really, really_ get it. I…I know we haven't actually talked about everything and what it all means, but I was hoping you'd-"

"Yes!" Willow quickly interrupted. She wholeheartedly agreed to the partial question, pushing the niggling aside. She was finding it hard to say 'no' to anything Tara asked of her these days.

"But you don't even know what I was going to ask," Tara responded with a sultry smile.

"Whatever the question, the answer is unequivocally yes."

"Oookay…so, you'll change Chelsea's poopy diaper then?"

"Wha…" Willow was confused and her eyebrows knitted together for about half a second before she figured out Tara was kidding with her. "Well, I mean, if you need me too." She grinned, poking her tongue out between her teeth.

Tara grinned back. "So, you'll be my girlfriend?" Tara asked in a whisper, looking up expectantly.

The grin on Willows face grew wider. "Absolutely a million times, yes."

"Cool," Tara replied, officially laying claim to her girlfriend's lips.


	24. Chapter 24

_**Hi All and thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you all are enjoying it!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 24**_

Willow and Tara sat on the Rosenberg's living room floor a few feet apart with Chelsea between them. The infant had been crawling back and forth between the girls, taking the soft plush baby blocks from one to the other and depositing them in their laps. Once Chelsea filled Tara's lap she would sit up clapping, giggling and cheering for herself. Then she would start over and take them all back to Willow. The game had been going on for some time and all three of them were enjoying themselves immensely.

Ira had retreated to his study while Jen and Sheila remained at the dinner table; sipping coffee, chatting and occasionally looking up whenever Chelsea cheered.

Jen smiled as she glanced in the direction of the living room. "You must be very proud of Willow."

Sheila nodded, "We are, she's an exceptional person."

"And she is absolutely wonderful with Chelsea. I have to admit, when Tara first told me about their plan, I was skeptical."

"Umm hmm, so was I. Babies are not easy and I was worried she'd gotten in over her head, but I can also see why she's so taken with Chelsea. She is just the sweetest little thing. You are one lucky grandma!" Sheila chuckled, "I still can't believe you're a grandmother, it feels like just yesterday we were crawling around on the floor with those two."

Jen shook her head and laughed, "No one was more surprised than me. When Tara told me she was pregnant, you could have knocked me over with a feather."

"I bet that was some conversation."

Jen shook her head, "She was so terrified to tell me, she waited until she was four months along before she said a word. Which took away all of her options."

"Was that something she considered?"

"Yes, but there was no way she would have gone through with it. There's too much love in her heart."

Sheila nodded in agreement, "Well, it looks like she made the right decision and she really is a fantastic parent for someone her age. Raising a child is difficult even under the best of circumstances."

Jen smiled, "Never have truer words been spoken and thank you. I'm very proud of the way she is handling things and she gets better everyday, especially since Willow came along. She's a good influence."

"Well, no one is happier than me to see Willow interacting with real people rather than her laptop." Sheila leaned closer and whispered, "We had to lie about not wanting to buy her a car, just to get her out of the house."

Jen snorted with laughter. "Well, your strategy seems to be working."

Tara glanced towards the dining room when she heard her mother's distinct laughter. "Do you think they're talking about us?"

Willow looked up at Tara, taking her attention from the baby in her lap. "Probably," She smiled sweetly, "But it couldn't be any worse than the dinner conversation." Tara smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Don't look at me like that, I was only four! Besides, it kinda did…feel good." Willow squirmed as the blush rose up her neck and across her cheeks.

"I thought you said you didn't remember doing that?"

Willow leaned towards Tara and whispered, "Well, I lied okay? When you're mother launches into a story in front of your girlfriend and her mother about how you decided to strip your clothes off and ride your bicycle naked down the street in front the entire population of Sunnydale while shouting, _I'm free! I'm free! And this feel so good!_ You tend to try and back-peddle. No pun intended."

Tara slapped her hand over her mouth laughing at the adorable redhead. "Hey," Willow said, pointing at Chelsea. "Your time is coming. She's already trying to pull her diaper off. I bet you're gonna be a little exhibitionist, aren't you?"

Chelsea giggled and clapped her tiny hands together.

"See?" Willow smiled proudly.

Tara shook her head as she continued to laugh and scooted closer. "I liked that, by the way." She whispered.

"What?"

Suddenly feeling shy, Tara ducked her head and whispered. "When you called me your girlfriend."

Willow grinned widely, feeling the tingly sensation rush through her chest. "So, do you wanna maybe…" She said, pointing upstairs.

"Yes please!" Tara replied, standing and picking Chelsea up out of Willow's lap. She held out a hand, pulling Willow off the floor and the three of them headed for the stairs.

"Tara?" Jen called across the room.

"Yes?" She replied as she turned to face her mother.

"It's getting late and I think we should be leaving soon. Chelsea needs to get to bed and you two have school tomorrow."

"Oh…okay." Tara answered back, her face crestfallen. "I um, just left something up in Willow's room."

Jen eyed her daughter curiously. "Well, why don't I hold Chelsea while you go up and find whatever you left. Don't be long though, okay?"

"Yes ma'am," Tara said as she handed Chelsea over to her mom.

* * *

Willow closed her bedroom door, sighing and falling back against it. It seemed to her like Tara had just gotten there and it was already time for her to leave.

No words were spoken as Tara held her hands out, beckoning Willow to her. The redhead complied, pushing herself off the door and drifting into her girlfriend's waiting arms.

Tara held Willow close, burying her face in the auburn locks and nuzzling the girl's neck. She inhaled the gentle fresh scent of Willow's shampoo and tightened her grip. _I could get so used to this._

Willow was having similar thoughts as she wrapped her arms tighter around Tara's waist. "This is really…nice." She whispered.

Mmmmhh very," Tara agreed.

"You feel so warm and soft." Willow breathed as she lovingly pressed a kiss to Tara's neck and then another and another, slowly moving up her jaw towards the grand prize.

Tara moaned softly, rubbing circles across Willow's back and thoroughly enjoying the moment. When she felt Willow kissing closer to her mouth she turned her head and lightly brushed their lips together, but the light chaste kisses soon turned passionate and before they knew it, they were kissing intently. Their mouths were opening and closing against the other, with tongues colliding in a frenzied dance. Several minutes passed before Tara forced herself to release the redhead and take a breath.

They were still gripping each other tightly, with slightly sweaty foreheads pressed together and their bodies shaking with desire.

"I need to get going."

"I know…"

"I'll see you in the morning though," Tara whispered, her breath mingling with Willow's.

"Yeah," Willow replied, still snuggling close to Tara.

Tara pulled her arms down from around Willow's neck and gently cupped her cheeks. She took a small step back as she gazed into the emerald green depths of Willow's expressive eyes. The girl was looking up at her with such affection that Tara couldn't resist bringing their lips together again.

They kissed for several long moments before moving apart. "I'm sorry," Tara said finally.

"It's okay, Chelsea needs to get to bed and so do we. Besides, the faster we go to sleep, the sooner we'll get to see each other again."

Tara smiled at Willow's logic; she did have a point. "I'll pick you up at seven? That'll give us a little time to…"

"Yeah," Willow smiled, "You can come over earlier, if you want."

Tara smiled in return, "I'll try, it depends on little Miss you know who."

"I know, but seven at the latest?" Willow questioned.

"Yeah, at the latest…" Tara's words trailed off as she felt Willow's lips on hers once again.

* * *

The phone rang and Willow jumped, answering it within a few seconds. "Hey."

"Hi, I didn't wake you again, did I?" Tara asked.

"No, I was hoping you'd call," Willow replied in a whisper.

"I must have picked up the vibe."

"I must be sending some pretty strong signals and here I thought I was just lying in bed."

"You're snuggling with your puppy, aren't you?"

"Umm, various sounds of hesitation…"

"I'm totally jealous. I mean, what does he have that I don't?"

Willow smiled dreamily and clutched the stuffed puppy tighter. "Absolutely nothing," She whispered.

Tara was also in bed and rolled onto her stomach to get more comfortable. She sighed wistfully. _I wish I was that puppy right about now._

"Tara?"

"Hmm?"

"When did you know?" Willow asked as she picked at her puppy's ear.

Willow was vague, but Tara completely understood the question and wasn't surprised by it either. "Well, if I had to pinpoint a moment, I guess it was the other night at the football game."

"Oh…" Willow felt a twinge of disappointment. After all, that was only a few days ago and she thought it would have been much sooner.

"When I saw you up there, with Chelsea and then I hugged you, all I could think about was kissing you. That's when I _really_ knew, but I've felt differently for awhile. Ever since that day Chelsea started crawling."

"Really?" Willow asked, feeling the tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Yeah, what about you?"

"Same day," Willow whispered, "When you picked up Chelsea…you'd never looked more beautiful. I'm…I'm sorry I ran out of there like a total freak."

"You're not a freak, just confused. It's a big change…for both of us."

"Yeah…" Willow sighed as a comfortable fell over them.

"Speaking of changes," Tara said, "My schedule is changing a little. I meant to tell you earlier, but we kinda got sidetracked."

"Sidetracked in a good way."

"Yes, a _very_ good way." Tara smiled, breathing a little heavier.

"So…you were saying?"

"Oh yeah, my schedule," Tara giggled lightly, "Anyway, since we're only cheering for the boys basketball team every other Friday, we decided to only practice a couple days a week. It'll be Tuesday, Thursday until six and Friday night games. We don't travel with the team, so when they're away, I'll have Fridays off as well."

Willow was silent as she took in Tara's words. How could this be? How could they now have even less time together just when they want to start spending _more_ time together.

"Will, are you still there?" Tara asked after hearing nothing but silence on the other end of the phone.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm just kinda bummed."

"I understand and I know you're depending on the money. I still plan on paying you the same amount." Tara said honestly.

"Oh, no baby, it's not about that. In fact that's a whole other conversation. It's just…I mean we're finally together-together and now we're gonna have even less time _together_." Willow finished her ramble in a flurry to silence on the other end of the phone. "Tare? Tara?"

Tara cleared her throat and flopped over onto her back, with a dreamy smile etched on her face and began twirling some hair around her finger. Willow had referred to her as _baby_. It was the first time Willow had used any endearment and Tara was elated. She had called Willow sweetie quite a few times without even thinking; it was something she'd picked up from her mother and she was used to saying it to Chelsea. So it seemed natural to say it to Willow as well. Willow never said anything about whether she liked it, but the lack of protest was proof enough.

"Tare?"

"Oh, s-sorry."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking that it's actually a good thing and we'll be able to spend even _more_ time together."

"How do you figure? Now you don't need me on Wednesdays anymore or every other Friday." Willow pouted.

"Will, I _always_ need you."

Willow smiled, "You're very sweet, but I just don't…"

"You're missing the point sweetie, I still need you to sit for me on Wednesdays and Fridays, at least until I get home from school. Then we can hang out together for the rest of the day."

"Oh…oh! Cool, now I see your point. Durrr, big dummy here! I-I just wasn't thinking and went all panicky for a minute. I guess it's a good thing I have you to slap me with logic."

"First of all, you're not a dummy and secondly…of all, you're the most logical person I know."

Willow laughed, "You sound cute when you're trying to be funny."

"And you're cute _all_ the time."

Willow smiled to herself, enjoying the mutual flirting. "Tare, do you think we can start eating lunch together everyday? I mean, I know we're going to be riding to school together and then hanging out after school, but I thought it would be nice, you know, to see each other during the day and, and oh gosh, that makes me totally sound like needy clingy girl, doesn't it?"

Tara chuckled, knowing she'd never tire of hearing the adorable babble. "Will, you're not needy or clingy. You're just you and I lo…I would love to have lunch with you everyday." Tara finished in a whisper, having almost blurted out something that should not be said for the first time over the phone.

"Do you want me to pack us another big lunch for tomorrow?"

"How about I take us out, my treat?" Tara offered.

"It's a date! Hey, I've never actually left campus during the official school day before. I um…I'm not sure that I can." Willow said, sounding apprehensive.

Tara laughed out loud. "Sweetie, you leave early everyday."

"I know, but this is different. This is kinda like skipping or something."

Tara sighed, "I guess you're a rebel then."

"That's me, Willow 'The Rebel' Rosenberg!"

"So Miss Rebel, I'll see you in the morning?"

"Bright and early."

"Okay, I guess it's time for me to go. I need to get some sleep before my sweet little alarm clock goes off."

"Tare," Willow whispered, "Thanks for calling and for tonight."

"Anytime," Tara breathed, "I'll see you soon."

"Bye Tare."

"Bye Will."


	25. Chapter 25

_**Hey All, thanks for the lovely feedback:) I'm glad you liked the previous chapter...more to come!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 25**_

Surprisingly, their first week as a couple passed without incident. True to her word, Tara picked up Willow every morning, as early as she was able to, so the girls could stop on their way to school and have some quality alone time. They alternated between eating lunch with the gang on the quad one day and going out the next.

For Willow, going out with Tara's friends had been the biggest and most stressful challenge. The first time out had been awkward, Willow got more than a few looks and several whispers, but she tried not to let it affect her. All she had to do was look at Tara or receive a gentle inconspicuous touch and it was enough to put her mind at ease. The blonde was reassuring and sweet and they were growing closer everyday.

They'd also fallen into a routine over the last five days; Willow would meet Tara at her locker before lunch and then they would head out. Willow would usually linger down the hall, waiting for Cordelia and Harmony to get their things and leave before she approached the lockers, especially if Tara wasn't there yet.

It was finally Friday and Willow's third period English teacher sent her to the office with a memo a few minutes before the bell was to ring and allowed her to go straight to lunch from there. When she arrived at Tara's locker, no one was there at all, so she decided to wait on the green vinyl sofa in the common area; across the hall from the dingy brown lockers. Willow made herself comfortable, sitting cross-legged and pulling a book out of her backpack. She was so completely engrossed in the story that she hadn't even noticed Cordelia and Harmony at their lockers until Harmony's high-pitched squeaky laughter pierced her brain like an ice pick.

Willow made a disgruntled face and glanced up briefly over the top of her book. The two girls chatted cattily about the boys in their lives as they adjusted their short skirts and freshened up their hair and makeup. Willow remained still, as not to alert them to her presence; they seemed more high strung than usual. After a few minutes, Harmony pointed down the hall and the girls whispered to each other before turning their backs completely to the blonde girl when she arrived.

The girl clutched her books close to her chest and tried to keep her head up confidently. "Hey guys! What's on the agenda for lunch today?"

Cordelia simply glanced over her shoulder, giving the girl her snottiest possible look and then turned her nose up. Willow's brow crinkled, she knew that particular look _very_ well.

"_We_ are going to the Shrimp Shack." Harmony said, nodding towards Cordelia.

The blonde looked back and forth between the girls. "Oh okay, just let me put my books away and I'll be all ready to go."

Cordelia looked at Harmony and rolled her eyes before closing her locker door and facing the petite blonde, "No, _we're_ going, as in us two and Anya. You get it Buffy?"

Willow's head shot up at the mention of Anya. The girl had been noticeably absent on the quad during lunch and Xander had been very tight lipped when it came to discussing her.

Buffy simply nodded as she continued putting her books in her locker. "Anya? Umm, okay." She said with a look of complete and utter dejection as the other two turned and pranced off.

Buffy glanced around and caught Willow's eye. The redhead looked away; embarrassed she'd been caught staring. She was also stunned to find out Anya was getting in deep with Cordy. _That's why I haven't seen her around much. Talk about your, out with the old and in with the new_.

Buffy meandered over awkwardly, breaking Willow's train of thought and causing her to squirm uncomfortably. She acted as if she was interested in her book, glancing up at Buffy and then back down again, but not making eye contact.

"Hey," Buffy said as she sat down cautiously next to the nervous redhead.

"Hey," Willow replied as she absently flipped through several pages of her book.

"So, I guess you're waiting on Tara huh?" Buffy asked after a long awkward moment of silence.

Willow nodded, "Yeah, she's late. Have you seen her around?"

Buffy shook her head, "Not since second period, but that's the last class we have together until after lunch. So, I guess you heard that uncomfortable little exchange…"

Willow looked at Buffy with worried eyes, nervously toying with the edges of her book. "Oh! I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

Buffy shrugged, "It's fine, I'm getting used to you seeing my less than stellar moments," She said with a slight laugh.

Willow smiled, feeling less nervous and a little sorry for the girl. Willow knew all too well what it was like to be on the receiving end of rejection. "Hey, why don't you have lunch with me and Tara today? She's allergic to shrimp, so I don't think we'll be going anywhere near the Shrimp Shack."

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to intrude…" Truthfully, Buffy totally wanted to intrude because the thought of eating alone and being gawked at was something she did not want to endure.

"No, it's fine, you're more than welcome."

Buffy looked up and met Willow's eyes with trepidation, "Thanks, I think my days as a Cordette are pretty much numbered, if not completely gone already."

"And that's a bad thing?" Willow slapped her hand over her mouth and her eyes widened; suddenly realizing she probably just insulted the cheerleader. "Oh, I'm sorry…I-I didn't mean it like that! I just meant…okay I did mean it like that, but it's just…well they're not all that welcoming anyway and I-I don't see how you could really be yourself around them and after what they did last week they don't seem to be what I would call real friends and well, who needs them anyway?!" Willow finished with a flourish and a sharp nod of her head.

Buffy's eyebrows were both arched and she wore a completely astonished expression. "Wow, that was the mother of all babble. You get an A+ from me!"

Willow grinned and poked out her tongue. "Well, thank you, I am an overachiever!"

With the ice officially broken, Willow and Buffy continued to chat casually until Tara appeared at her locker in a what could only be described as a panicked rush.

"Hey Tare!" Willow called out to her girlfriend, "Over here!" She said as she waved a hand and put her book away.

A look of relief flooded Tara's features and she grinned brightly. Willow looked completely adorable today and Tara was smitten from the moment she'd picked her up for school earlier that morning.

Willow had her hair cut a few days earlier, shedding her long red locks for a shorter shoulder length cut. She told Tara she was tired of dealing with it and wanted a change. Willow's long-sleeved red cotton tee shirt under the blue overalls enhanced the glow of her hair even more. The ensemble was rounded out with a beaded choker, black Keds and multi colored socks. She looked comfortable and very _Willow-like_, something Tara had come to adore. Willow definitely had a style all her own and Tara no longer cared if it was the popular style or not. It was Willow and she wouldn't want her any other way.

Tara was so entranced with her girlfriend that it took a moment before she realized Buffy's presence. Her curiosity was peaked and so was her worry. Tara wasn't sure if she trusted Buffy alone with the redhead for fear of the girl hurting Willow's feelings. She had to admit however, that Buffy appeared humbled after the _vomiting incident_,[ as it came to be known. Buffy had made a point of saying 'hi' to Willow whenever they passed in the halls and was being nicer to Tara as well. Plus, there was nothing to suggest the two girls were having anything more than a friendly chat.

"Hi, sorry I'm late. Hey Buffy…not that I mind but, what are you doing here?"

"Just keeping Willow company while she was waiting for you." Buffy smiled sweetly.

"I invited Buffy to have lunch with us. Is that okay with you ba…Tara?" Willow almost slipped and called Tara baby; her face was practically glowing red as she stood and threw her backpack over her shoulders.

"Oh yeah, it's fine." Tara replied, with a questioning look; getting Willow's shrugging shoulders as a silent answer.

Buffy hopped up, completely clueless to Willow's near slip of the tongue. "Cool, so where are we going?"

"I was thinking Rusty's? I have coupons," Tara said.

Willow and Buffy both smiled in agreement as the three girls set off for lunch.

* * *

If Willow was pleasantly surprised by Buffy's behavior, she was stunned to find out that many of the other cheerleaders were also quite nice and nothing like Cordelia or Harmony; at least when the latter two weren't around. They'd run into several of the girls upon entering the restaurant and were invited to sit at their table.

Willow stayed relatively quiet while the others chatted amicably, discussing cheerleading, dancing, and boys. Three things Willow had very little interest in, unless Tara was doing at least two of those things and then maybe her attention would be piqued. Otherwise, she was at a loss.

Tara noticed how unusually non-verbal the redhead was and discreetly reached under the table and patted her on the knee. Willow smiled at the reassuring gesture; allowing her hand to drop under the table and linking their fingers together for several seconds. That was all it took before Tara announced she needed to use the restroom, with Willow agreeing to go with her.

Tara gently rapped her knuckles on the bathroom door and finding it empty, entered and motioned for Willow to follow. Luckily for them, it was a single restroom. Once inside Willow locked the door and found herself being tugged forward by the straps on her overalls.

"Mmmhmm," Tara moaned as she wrapped her arms around Willow's neck and brought their lips together. When Tara felt Willow's lithe arms wrap around her waist, she deepened the kiss for several long seconds. "Hi," She breathed, pulling back slightly.

"Hi," Willow returned breathily and she pressed their foreheads together.

"Sorry about lunch turning into a group event," Tara said.

"It's okay, it's my fault for asking Buffy. She just looked so sad…"

Tara nodded and massaged the back of Willow's neck; it was an unconscious action and she couldn't have stopped herself if she'd tried. "Cordy's been blowing her off left and right ever since last Friday."

"Is she being mean to you too?" Willow asked.

"No, you're little plan seems to be working," Tara grinned.

Earlier in the week when they'd decided to try and spend all of their free school time together, Willow had been worried about repercussions aimed at Tara. So, she hacked into the school computer, found the computer class lesson plans and was secretly feeding Cordelia information through Tara. As long as the information flowed and Cordy's grades improved, albeit only slightly, harassing Tara was put on the back burner.

"Are you okay?" Willow asked out of the blue.

Tara cocked her head quizzically. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Well, you were so late for lunch today and I was kinda worried."

"Ohhh, sorry sweetie," Tara cooed, kissing Willow sweetly on the nose. "I had to um…pump," She said, glancing down briefly at her chest.

"Pump? What do you mean? Oh…"

Tara smiled at Willow's surprised expression. "The nurse, Mrs. Klein? She knows about my situation and lets me come down and pump when I'm a little _overly abundant_."

Willow smiled goofily and quipped, "That's like, all the time, huh?"

"Hey! Little vixen…" Tara exclaimed with false indignity. "Anyway, she let's me store the milk in her mini fridge and pick it up after school."

"Do you have to do it often?" Willow asked as she absently rubbed Tara's lower back.

Tara shook her head, "Not too much, it just depends on how much Chel's eats in the morning. I guess she wasn't very hungry today. I don't mind it's better than leaking all over the place."

"Gosh, that seriously _never_ crossed my mind before. Tare, what do you do at practice? You know, when they're all…um…bouncy?"

Tara giggled at Willow's obvious embarrassment. "I wear a _very_ strong sports bra, sometimes two and nursing pads. I'm always praying they don't come flying out."

"Now _that_ would be hard to explain."

Tara laughed and then sighed, "I guess we'd better…" She said, motioning towards the door.

"Yeah," Willow replied, pulling Tara closer and kissing her one more time. "Except, I actually have to um…a-and normally I would just go, but I have overalls and…"

Tara smiled, kissing Willow again before opening the door. "I'll see you back at the table."

Willow nodded, blowing Tara a kiss before shutting the door and going about her business.

* * *

Later that evening, after getting Chelsea to bed, Willow and Tara snuggled on the couch watching The History Channel just enjoying some alone time together.

"Those darn Salem judges! With their less-Satanic-than-thou-attitudes…" Willow rambled grouchily.

"Oh honey, let me change it. The Discovery Channel has koala bears!" Tara lifted her head from Willow's shoulder and reached for the remote, but was stopped when Willow picked it up first and shut the TV off. "Oooo-kay, maybe not…"

Willow sat the remote on the end table and cuddled deeper into her girlfriend. "Mmmm, this week was like, the best week of my life."

Tara grinned and pulled Willow tighter to her side. "I definitely like this schedule better than the last."

"And just think how much more time we'd have if there was _no_ practice at all."

"Willow…" Tara scolded.

"Sorry, I just figured it was worth a shot."

Tara giggled, "I refuse to give up my high pony tail!"

Willow snorted, absently playing with Tara's fingers.

"Will?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to s-sleep together-I mean over, again tonight?"

"What?" Willow gulped and her entire body stiffened and she replied somewhat alarmed. "I mean, I-I-I don't think I'm ready for…"

Tara sat up, looking Willow in the eyes and brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Hey…it's okay. I didn't m-mean for _that_. I just thought it would be nice, the um…the snugglies?"

"Ohhh, _that_ type of together…of course. I thought you meant the naked-kind-of-together…not that I don't want to, it's just that all this is so new and I know we've been friends for awhile, but the naked snuggles would seem really, _really_ soon and…" Willow's rant was cut short by Tara's lips descending upon hers. After a few seconds Tara pulled away and Willow grinned. "Ummmm, what was I saying?"

"I'm not really sure…you were babbling." Tara picked up Willow's cell and shook it slightly in front of her. "Here, call your Mom."

"Okay…right…Mom…call…" Willow rambled incoherently; distracted by the girl placing butterfly kisses along her jawline. "Taara…"

Tara smiled slyly, "Sorry, I'm gonna go call and okay it with my Mom as well."

Tara moved to get up and Willow grabbed her wrist; pulling her back. "Wait!" She exclaimed and passionately kissed Tara into a puddle. A wicked little grin spread across her face, "You can go now, I think my work here is done."

Tara sighed wistfully, "Such a little tease…" as she floated on a cloud into the kitchen to call her Mom.


	26. Chapter 26

**Hi All...**

**Thanks as always for the wonderful reviews! I'm glad everyone is still enjoying my little fic:) I get a lot of "I don't usually like AU..." and yeah, I get it. Some AU's have the characters so completely out of ****character, that they are definitely hard to follow. I may stray from the course every now and then, but I really try to keep them true to the originals. I hold to the belief that one can put them in any situation, as long as you keep their little quirks. ie. Tara's stutter, Willow's stammering and sometimes child like speech pattern, the shrimp allergy, etc...all very important. So, in other words...I'm glad it's working! Enjoy the next chapter...lot's more to come:)**

* * *

Chapter 26

As if on a strict schedule, at precisely four am, a shrill scream echoed through the baby monitor in Tara's bedroom. Tara's eyes popped open and she groaned slightly; more than used to being awakened at all hours of the night. Willow's reaction, however, was far more dramatic.

The redhead had been sleeping soundly, cuddled against Tara's back and breathing heavily when Chelsea's screech caused her to shoot straight up and shout, "Don't warn the tadpoles!" Startling Tara and nearly knocking her on to the floor.

"Shhhhh, sweetie. It's okay." Tara whispered, rubbing Willow's back and trying to gently calm her girlfriend.

Willow was disoriented and her hair was sticking out in all directions. "Tara, what are you doing here?" She asked in an alarmed tone.

Tara half smiled, reaching up to smooth down some of the wild red tresses. "We're in my room Will, you're sleeping over, remember?"

"Oh, I…" Willow shifted awkwardly and glanced around; trying to quell her confusion and the hazy dream that was still lingering in her sleepy mind.

"Don't warn the tadpoles?" Tara asked.

"I…I…I have frog fear." Willow was completely embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Tara cupped Willow's chin, pulled her close and gently kissed her on the lips. "No, I'm fine." Tara mumbled just as another loud shriek echoed through the monitor.

"Oh God! Why is she screaming like that? I-Is she alright? What time is it? Wha-" Willow exclaimed, interrupted again by Tara's lips. She smiled sleepily when Tara pulled away.

"She's fine, just hungry. I'll be back in a bit, okay?"

Willow nodded as Tara hopped out of bed to change and feed her cranky infant. Willow sighed and dropped back on her pillow with her hands behind her head; listening intently as Tara whispered and hummed to Chelsea. The baby quieted, but continued to grumble and fuss. Willow threw the blankets aside, deciding to make a bathroom run while Tara was occupied. She returned a few minutes later to find Tara propped up in the bed and breast-feeding Chelsea.

"Hey," Tara said sheepishly.

Willow stopped in the middle of the room. "Hey, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, she didn't feel much like settling down. I guess she's used to being in here at night. I um, think I created a monster…sorry."

"Oh no, it's fine." Willow was shifting from foot to foot and nervously wringing with her hands. "I'll just sleep over here in the chair or on the floor or something…" She was definitely disappointed, but she understood and would never think of disrupting their routine.

"Baby, c'mere…" Tara said, reaching out her left arm. Tara opened and closed her hand several times as she beckoned for Willow to come closer.

Willow tentatively moved forward, taking Tara's out stretched hand and sitting gingerly on the side of the bed. The girl was a nervous wreck, her heart pounding and her breathing shallow. Willow tried desperately not to stare, but the thought of actually seeing her girlfriend's naked breast was just to enticing.

"Will, come up here, please? I-I want you in the bed with me…with us," Tara whispered, pulling Willow closer.

Willow thought she should say something in protest, but seeing Tara breast feed, up close and personal, was having a profound effect on the redhead. Willow finally acquiesced and slowly crawled in next to Tara. Willow was shaky as she laid her head on Tara's shoulder and watched as she fed her daughter.

"Wow…" Willow breathed, reaching out and cupping the back of Chelsea's head; gently rubbing her thumb over the soft downy blonde hair. After a moment, Willow's hand began to drift down across the tiny back and eventually rested on Tara's arm. Willow snuggled silently for a long time, in awe as she watched the miracle unfold before her eyes.

Normally, just the mere thought of her girlfriend's naked breasts would have thrown her into an overly aroused frenzy, but this…this was completely different. It was the most incredibly beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Willow had seen Tara feed Chelsea numerous times before, but it had all been from a distance and without actually _seeing_ the connection between mother and child. Willow had never really understood the true beauty in the experience, until now.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Tara said, finally breaking the silence.

Willow nodded in agreement and whispered, "You both are."

Tara's heart swelled; she had never before been with anyone that had treated her with such genuine kindness. It was the same kindness Tara saw in Willow the day she returned her math book and then stayed to care for Chelsea. Tara felt the affection radiating off of Willow as she rocked and read to Chelsea. A small and random act of kindness that set in motion a series of events that Tara could never have imagined, not even in her wildest dreams.

Willow glanced up, staring at Tara and looking as if she wanted to say something as her mouth opened with no words coming out.

"Willow?" Tara whispered nervously, seeing the play of emotions on Willow's face. "Are you okay?"

The redhead paused, lifting her hand and running her knuckles across Tara's jaw; gathering her thoughts before answering.

"I just…I-I," Willow stammered. "Do you really want to know?"

Tara nodded, "I always want to know what's going on in there." She said, kissing Willow's hand as it brushed across her lips and locking her cobalt blue eyes on the emerald green ones a few inches away.

"I was wondering if it was possible," Willow whispered, as the blush began to creep across her cheeks.

"What?"

Willow took a deep breath, "I was wondering, if it was possible to love you anymore that I do right now." Willow said without hesitation, "_Both_ of you."

Tara gasped as the tears began to form; stinging in the back of her eyes. "You…you love me?" She asked.

Willow nodded, "I love you Tara Maclay, more than I ever thought I could love anyone." Willow thought she should be scared or nervous, but she wasn't. Declaring her love for Tara seemed like the most natural thing in the world. It wasn't something she planned on saying, especially not after being romantically involved for less than a week, but it just _felt_ right. Willow had known for a long time that she loved Tara, but it wasn't until this moment that she realized she was _in love_ with her and there was no way she'd be able to let it go without saying. "A-And I know it's soon, maybe too soon to say it, but the thing is…I've known for awhile and I…I…normally don't use so many words to say something so small, but…do you get it…at all?"

Tara sniffled, "Not small," She breathed, leaning forward and pressing their lips together. When the kiss ended, Tara blinked and a few tears dripped freely down her ivory cheeks.

"Oh baby…please don't cry, I-I didn't mean to upset you," Willow stammered.

Tara shook her head and whispered, "Not upset."

"They why-"

"Happy, very, very happy."

"Oh…"

Tara shifted and attempted to move Chelsea, but the mini vacuum had no intention of letting go and redoubled her efforts.

Willow giggled softly, "I guess she never wants to let go of you either..."

Tara didn't reply, she simply looked reverently upon her beautiful daughter. She was completely overwhelmed with emotion and unable to verbalize what she was feeling for fear of breaking down completely. They both sat silently for sometime, watching Chelsea until Tara was finally able to dislodge the child.

Willow, longing to participate, held out her hands allowing Tara to easily slide the sleepy infant into her waiting arms. She gently settled Chelsea on her chest; closing her eyes and nuzzling her cheek against the soft blonde hair. She began to pat and rub her back for several moments until she got the desired outcome in the form of a loud burp.

Both girls smiled as Willow moved slightly so she could tuck the infant securely between them. Once the task was completed, she turned towards Tara who reached out; cupping her cheeks and kissing her deeply.

Tara had been relatively quiet after Willow's surprise revelation and had yet to put words to her feelings. So she did what came natural and poured every ounce of emotion into the kiss, but she knew in her heart, Willow deserved to hear it as well. Tara finally ended the kiss and pulled back slightly, rubbing the pads of her thumbs gently across Willow's cheeks. "I love you too," She finally whispered.

Willow smiled and tried to keep her emotions at bay, but it was no use and a hiccupping sob escaped. The entire time she'd been trying to play it cool and although she wasn't scared to express her feelings, she was worried Tara would not return them.

"Oh sweetie…" Tara said, pulling Willow to her over the top of her sleeping infant. They held on to each other for a long time, until Willow calmed. They kissed again before lying down, with Chelsea between them and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Sleeping in the same bed with the person you are in love with is just about the most intimate and emotionally satisfying thing someone can do. At least those were Willow's thoughts as she awoke to the angelic face of the gorgeous girl sleeping soundly next to her. She longed to snuggle, but Chelsea was still between them and she didn't want to wake Tara, she looked so peaceful.

Willow continued to watch her love sleep until she heard little coos from the baby. Chelsea was awake and as soon as Willow made eye contact, she quickly flipped herself over and began to climb on top of her Will-Will. The redhead rolled on her back to allow the tiny blonde to climb on her belly; taking baby knees to the ribs.

"Ugh," Willow grunted as the baby giggled and bounced happily. "Shhhhh," Willow shushed with an index finger to her lips as Tara groaned and turned on to her opposite side; snoring softly.

"Come on you," Willow whispered, "Let's let Mommy sleep."

Willow cradled Chelsea and rolled out of bed; turning off the baby monitor and taking Chelsea to her room. Willow changed her diaper and dressed her in a comfortable cotton onesie. She also grabbed an extra before heading downstairs as she knew the little girls' raucous eating habits _very_ well.

It was still early and she was the only one up when she entered the kitchen, mindlessly rambling to Chelsea.

The little girl was entranced with Willow as always, cooing, giggling and clapping her hands. There was no denying the close bond the two shared.

* * *

An hour or so later when Jen emerged from her downstairs bedroom, she found Willow and Chelsea sprawled out on the family room floor, surrounded by toys, perched on pillows and snuggled together watching cartoons. Chelsea was snug in the crook of Willows arm and vigorously sucking on her pacifier. Jen smiled to herself as she turned around to retrieve her camera. They were just too cute not to capture the moment. She snuck around the corner and took a quick picture without alerting either of them. Jen smiled to herself; both Willow and Chelsea were lying in the same position with equally focused looks on their faces. The only difference was that Willow didn't have a pacifier.

Jen slid the camera in her robe pocket and cleared her throat. "Good morning," She said cheerfully.

"Morning," Willow replied with a wide grin, never moving from her spot on the floor. She was completely comfortable at Tara's house and with her Mom; it had become like a second home to her.

Chelsea sat up, squealing and clapping her hands before pushing off Willow and crawling rapidly towards her grandmother. Jen squatted down and welcomed her with open arms.

"Come to Nanny! Ummm, good morning princess!" She said, smothering Chelsea with kisses and twirling in a circle, much to the youngsters delight. "Are you having fun with Will-Will?" Chelsea simply giggled.

"Is Tara in the kitchen?" Jen asked Willow.

"Still sleeping, she's been really tired lately and she never gets to sleep in, so I decided not to wake her." Willow replied.

Jen couldn't help but smile, feeling incredibly happy that Tara had found such a good friend in Willow. She highly doubted that any of her daughters' cheerleader friends worried too much about Tara's well being.

"Well, don't let her sleep too long or she'll get spoiled," Jen said with a wink as she sat Chelsea beck on the floor.

The infant made happy grunting sounds crawling towards her Will-Will and eventually lunging into Willow's out-stretched arms. Willow pulled the baby into her lap as the two went back to their previous position, snuggled together in front of the TV.


	27. Chapter 27

**_Chapter 27_**

Several hours later, Tara awoke with a lazy yawn and stretched as she slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the alarm clock. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was almost eleven o'clock and she quickly flipped over, only to be met with the sight of an empty bed.

Tara instantly frowned and sadness washed over her when she realized she'd slept through half the day and that Willow had obviously gone. Tara assumed she left to attend Temple. _Mom must have Chels._

The blonde groaned, dragging her still fatigued body out of bed and into the bathroom to clean up before heading downstairs. After giving herself the once over in the mirror, Tara decided to change out of her pajamas and into shorts and a t-shirt. She brushed her long blonde hair back and into a ponytail before shuffling down to the kitchen.

Tara cocked her head quizzically when she found her Mom sitting alone at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee and munching on jellied toast. "Hey…"

"Hi, feeling better?"

"Yeah, I guess. Where's Chels?" Tara was confused; she'd passed Chelsea's bedroom as well as the playpen on her way to the kitchen and both were empty.

"Out back," Jen replied nonchalantly.

"What!? By herself?" Tara exclaimed, completely appalled.

Jen looked up at her daughter with a smirk, "Yes, by her self, because that's how I roll. I just opened the door and let her crawl right out."

Tara raised an eyebrow, "That's how you roll?"

"Umm hmm, isn't that what you kids say now-a-days?"

"The key word in that sentence being _kids_ and no, I don't think I've _ever_ said that phrase once in my entire life." Jen chuckled at Tara's annoyance. "Back to the subject…my daughter?"

Without speaking, Jen lifted her hand and gestured with her thumb over her shoulder towards the backyard.

Tara rolled her eyes, finally relenting to her mother's obvious teasing and went to the backdoor window, pulling the curtain aside and looking out over the backyard. A grin instantly spread across her face when she spotted Willow under a tree and sitting on a quilt with Chelsea in her lap reading a book. Well, more like trying to read the book. Tara giggled when she saw her child pull the soft book from Willows hands and put it straight into her mouth.

"I told you she was out back."

"Ha ha," Tara replied sarcastically as she pulled the backdoor open to go join the duo.

Willow gave up trying to read the book and leaned her head back against the trunk of the old oak tree. She indulged in closing her eyes, for a brief moment before being roused by Tara's angelic voice.

"Willow?" Tara called quietly as not to startle the girl when she kneeled down on the quilt.

Willow's tired and bloodshot eyes slowly opened as she began to register Tara's presence. "Hey sleepyhead, did you have a good rest?"

Tara nodded, reaching out to wipe some hair out of Chelsea's face. The tiny blonde had no intention of moving from Willow's lap. "I did, thank you. I can't remember the last time I got to sleep past seven. I um, I d-didn't think you'd still be here." Tara said as she ducked her head shyly.

"Why not?"

Tara shrugged her shoulders, "I just, last night was so…intense, plus I thought you had services this morning and already left."

Willow shrugged her shoulders in return, "I didn't feel much like going and my parents didn't mind. We only go once or twice a month anyway. Besides, do you really think I'd leave without saying goodbye to you?"

Tara looked up with a lopsided smile, "I hoped not…"

Willow grinned; feeling the air around them thicken and a rush of butterflies invaded her stomach. She felt dizzy and drunk with love when Tara reached out to pull the redhead's hand into her lap.

Tara stared down at the lightly freckled hand she held; lining their palms flat before entwining their fingers. "Will," She whispered, "Did l-last night…did you really m-mean what you said?"

"Of course I did. Didn't you…mean what you said?"

"Oh yes," Tara grinned and gripped Willow's hand tighter as both girls grinned madly.

The girls were still entranced and hadn't noticed Chelsea pivot in Willow's lap; looking a bit jealous, she lurched forward and slapped her tiny hands to her Willow's cheeks.

"Mama!" She shouted proudly with a semi-toothless grin.

Willow's eyes widened with shock; she looked at Chelsea and then quickly back to Tara. "I…I-I-I didn't teach her that! I SWEAR! I would [i]never[/i] do that Tara…you have to believe me, I-I'm so sorry! I…"

Tara smiled, amused as always with Willow's quirky antics. "Shhhh, I know and it's okay, I don't mind, really." And she didn't. If Tara was going to share her title with anyone, she was thrilled to share it with Willow.

"Really?"

"Umm hmm, I think it's sweet…she loves you Will."

Willow's body visibly relaxed. "Well, I love her too…very much. Is that okay?"

"It's more than okay," Tara whispered, reaching up and running her fingers down Willow's cheek. "I love you Willow, you're the sweetest person I've ever known."

Willow cupped Tara's hand to her cheek and then let out a sleepy yawn. "I wove you too…"

"Oh sweetie, you're so tired. How about you take a nap?"

Willow shook her head vehemently; her resolve face firmly in place. "No, I don't want to miss any Tara-time today."

"See? Total sweetness!" Tara beamed.

Willow returned the grin and glanced to her left behind Tara, to see where Chelsea had crawled off. "Uh oh…"

Tara followed her girlfriend's line of sight and sighed when she saw Chelsea pulling up handfuls of grass and dirt and shoving them into her mouth. She let go of Willows hand, jumping up to retrieve the infant. Tara immediately hooked an index finger in her mouth to remove the yucky substance; much to the chagrin of her daughter as she showed her displeasure with a loud squawk.

"Temper, temper…" Tara mumbled as she pulled the remaining grass from Chelsea balled up little fists.

Willow made a face. "Gross," As she watched Tara shake the soggy grass-dirt mixture from her finger.

Tara met Willow's eyes with smirk, "Well, as a fellow _Mama_, you'd better get used to it."

Willow made yet another face; curling her top lip in a grimace. "I think I'd rather be the Dad," She mumbled.

Tara giggled, trying to hold on to the squirmy infant as she began to throw a full on fit. "Whoa…"

"I guess playtime's over," Willow stated flatly.

"Yup, that's the _tired_ cry. I think lunch and a nap are in order."

Tara waited patiently while Willow gathered the quilt and several other things she'd brought outside with Chelsea, before making their way towards the back door. Willow held the door open for Tara as Chelsea continued her mini fit.

"Thank you," Tara said meaningfully, as she stepped across the threshold. Tara walked straight to the sink, wetting a paper towel and trying to juggle the baby while she wiped her face.

It was only a matter of seconds before Willow was at her side to relieve her of Chelsea so Tara could utilize both hands and clean up her fussy baby girl.

"Someone's awfully cranky," Jen commented.

"Your granddaughter decided it would be a good idea to eat dirt and got mad when I scraped it out of her mouth," Tara said without looking up from her motherly duties.

Jen chuckled, resting her cheek on her hand while watching the girls move about the kitchen. She couldn't help but marvel at the how well they worked together; each girl anticipating the others move and caring for Chelsea as if she was _their_ child together. _How far Tara's come_, she thought admiringly as her thoughts drifted back to Chelsea's early days.

Tara had always been comfortable with Chelsea, but there had also been awkward moments before they fully bonded. At one point Tara began to shrug off some of her responsibilities on to her mother, which did not sit well with the elder blonde. It was one of the reasons she took the downstairs bedroom and basically forced Tara upstairs alone with Chelsea.

Jen had always allowed Tara to make her own decisions, good or bad, and cheerleading had been one of them. She encouraged Tara to cheer, but also warned her that it would be tough. She'd promised to help, but secretly hoped Tara would realize where her priorities lie and eventually quit the squad. When Tara began to change, especially after she started hanging out with the Cordettes; Jen had been less than thrilled with her daughters' increasingly snotty attitude. It was reminiscent of Tara's days in Idaho when she'd become rebellious and fallen in with the wrong crowd. It wasn't until Willow came along that Tara seemed to mature and grow as a person, as well as parent. Willow's influence on her daughter was evident.

Jen blinked her eyes several times and snapped herself back to reality. "Well, I'm going to go take a shower and start getting ready for work. What do you girls have planned for today?"

Tara shrugged her shoulders, glancing towards her visibly sleepy girlfriend, "Well, I'm going to put Chelsea and…apparently Willow, down for a nap while I try to get some laundry done." Tara immediately scrunched her nose and turned towards Jen. "Oh God, I sound like you! Like a _real_ Mom!" Tara was horrified with herself.

Willow's half lidded eyes popped open and she laughed at the look on Tara's face. Willow took the spoon from Tara's hand and continued to feed Chelsea the cereal while the blonde sat frozen.

Jen patted Tara's shoulder affectionately, "Welcome to the club honey."

"Awesome," Tara grumbled, taking the spoon back from the redhead and finishing the task.

* * *

Willow yawned and stretched as she slowly awoke to the gentle coos and soft giggles coming from the baby monitor. The sweet sounds were wonderful, but the sound of Tara's breathing and the beating of her heart was a symphony to Willow's ears. She momentarily lifted her head from Tara's chest to glance at the clock and noticed the screen glowing on Tara's cell; indicating a text or a missed call. She briefly thought about checking the phone for her girlfriend, but that maneuver would entail moving from her warm comfy spot and she was coming out firmly against it. So she lowered her head and snuggled deeper.

The slight movement was enough to spur Tara into pulling Willow tighter against her, rolling more on to her side and entangling their legs. Willow was happy with the new position and shifted to get more comfortable, until she felt Tara's bare thigh press firmly into her center. Willow groaned and unconsciously returned the pressure with her own thigh. There was no denying how good the movement felt and Willow couldn't help but take full advantage of the situation.

The redhead could no longer resist and decided it was time to wake her girlfriend fully. She stared intently at Tara's plump and kissable lips; leaning forward and gently pressing their lips together. Willow opened and closed her mouth several times before she finally felt Tara starting to awaken and return the kiss.

When Tara slowly became aware of Willow's ministrations, her mind, as well as her lips, instantly sprang into action. She started to move her hands heatedly across Willow's back and before she even consciously knew what she was doing; she flipped Willow and rolled on top of her. They were now breast to breast with their bodies rhythmically rocking against the other. They soon began to lose themselves in the moment with heated kisses as the surge of passion that had magically ignited between them began to take over.

As Tara continued the attack on Willow's lips, she felt her shirt begin to rise and soon felt Willow's hands on her bare back. Suddenly realizing they were closer to doing _other things_ than she originally thought. The night before, Willow had said she wasn't ready to go further, but that shy and nervous girl was apparently gone and replaced by a horny teenager, that was currently pushing her thigh harder between Tara's legs.

"Ohh Willow…"

"Mmmmm…"

They both moaned as the frenzied kissing and thrusting continued. Tara could feel the dampness that had seeped through the material of Willow's sweat pants on to her leg and knowing that she was responsible, only spurred her on more.

"Oh baby!" Willow gasped with the increased friction.

Tara smiled and began to kiss down Willow's jawline until she reached the girls' ear. "Are you okay? Do you want me to stop?" She asked breathily.

"Yes…no…maybe…just…feels so…good."

Tara took that as a sign, she knew if they continued Willow would succumb to the passion and well…so would she. Tara definitely did not want their first time together to be in the heat of the moment with their clothes still on. She especially did not want that for Willow, it would be her first time ever and Tara wanted it to be special. After indulging herself a little longer, Tara reluctantly slowed her pace and soon rolled back on to her side next to the redhead; disentangling their legs, but keeping their lips locked together.

The kissing finally slowed and they both pulled back; resting their foreheads together and fighting for control of their breathing.

"I'm sorry," Willow whispered.

Tara shook her head softly, "No sorries and no pressure. I love you and I can wait, I just…I want you to be ready. I want _us_ to be ready…together."

"But, I know you're used to…and you have more experience…and…"

"Shhhh," Tara shushed Willow and kissed her again before she could fall over the babble cliff. "I may not be a virgin, but it'll sorta be my first time too…with a girl that is and _our_ first time together."

Willow let the words sink in to her soul and she couldn't help but smile at the prospect of things to come. Tara wanted _her_ and she'd never felt more loved in her entire life. She was completely overcome with emotion. "I love you Tara. You're so wonderful and understanding and I have _no_ idea how I got so lucky."

Tara shook her head again, "No," She whispered as she gently stroked her hand through Willow's wild red hair, "I'm the lucky one. Sometimes I look at you and I can't believe you're actually mine. You make me feel so special and I love you too, so very much."

Willow smiled and brought their lips together again; she couldn't seem to ever get enough of Tara. They kissed for several moments before pulling apart.

Tara sighed, "I can't believe I took a nap with you after sleeping all morning."

"You were tired, you need to get more rest."

"I also needed to do some laundry."

"I'll help you with it later, if you want."

"It's just laundry, I'll have all day tomorrow to get it done." Tara smiled and kissed Willow on the end of her nose. "It's also getting late and Chel's is being unusually quiet."

"I think she playing, I heard her babbling earlier."

"I wonder where she got _that_ from," Tara smirked.

"Maybe from her Mommy?" Willow replied coyly, running her fingers down Tara's side over her hip and back up again.

"Nuh uh, she _definitely_ gets that from her _Mama_."

Willow couldn't help the huge grin from spreading across her face. "See, told you I was the lucky one."

"Umm, how about we call it a tie," Tara said as she kissed Willow; brushing their lips softly together.

"Okay, a tie it is."

Tara sighed, "I really need to go check on her. I'll be right back, okay?" Willow nodded and allowed Tara to slide out of the bed.

Willow sat up and stretched, feeling well rested from her nap. It was exactly what she needed after the long morning caring for the active infant.

"Um…Willow?" Tara called out, her voice echoing through the baby monitor. "Can you come in here please?"

Willow cocked her head in curiosity and hopped out of bed; quickly padding down the hall and into Chelsea's bedroom. "What's going...ho-ly shit."

"You can say that again." Tara said flatly as she stood several feet away from the crib, arms crossed across her chest and staring blankly at her daughter.

"I'm not sure I even know _what_ to say…"

"Say you'll help me clean it up…please?" Tara pleaded, finally looking away from heinous mess in front of her.

"Do I have a choice?" Willow asked rhetorically, of course she would help, even if it were the vilest thing she'd ever witnessed.

"How about you go start the bath and I'll get her out of there and clean up in here. Geez, I think we might need hazmat suits."

"Uh huh, so…I guess she learned how to unsnap her onsie. Yay for manual dexterity…said no one ever." Willow observed as neither girl made a move; both dreading having to deal with the poop covered youngster. "See? I _told_ you she was close to pulling her diaper off by herself," Willow remarked, reminding Tara of their conversation earlier in the week.

"Um," Was about all Tara could manage as she wondered how Chelsea had not only managed to unsnap her onsie, take off her diaper and not only finger paint herself, but also her crib and surrounding wall as well; without her hearing a thing.

"Well, it's now or never," Tara sighed.

"I vote never," Willow replied, in a voice heavily laced in sarcasm. All of which was lost on the infant, who was standing with her hands gripped on the rail and bouncing happily; without a care in the world.


	28. Chapter 28

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello All and Happy Sunday! My apologies for the gap between updates…busy, busy! I'll slip in updates when I can and promise not to leave either story incomplete, but I'm sort of a 'one woman band' at work and when things get busy…it's all on me. Anyway, enjoy! BTW, just a warning…no beta. All mistakes are mine, so PM if you catch something.**

**Thank you all for the lovely feedback!**

* * *

**_Chapter 28_**

A couple hours later, the girls managed to get everything cleaned up, including Chelsea and themselves. While Willow had Chelsea in the tub, Tara stripped the crib and thoroughly cleaned it as well as the surrounding walls. She put everything in the washer and remade the bed with clean sheets before taking a shower in her Mom's bathroom. Once she was cleaned up, she took over Chelsea duty so Willow could shower and get cleaned up as well.

After her shower, Willow bounced downstairs to find Tara and Chelsea in the family room playing together on the floor. "Hey," Willow said.

"Hey, all clean?"

The redhead smiled broadly, "Yep, squeaky even!" Willow sat down on the floor and handed Tara her cell phone. "You have a message, but I um, I didn't look. You know, in case it's private or something."

Tara smiled, "Thanks." She scrunched her brow and peered at the glowing screen. "Crap."

"Is everything okay?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, I just forgot to call Buffy back is all. She texted earlier and wanted us to go to the mall with her, something about a shoe sale."

"Us?" Willow squeaked out.

"Um hmm," Tara said as she scrolled through the missed messages and madly typed out another. "You wanna go?"

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "Well, I guess so. I'm not much of a mall-rat but, there's mocha's, right?"

Tara grinned, "Good, cuz I already told her yes."

Willow's mouth dropped open. "Tara!" She exclaimed in mock indignation. "And what if I'd said no?"

"You weren't gonna say no."

"How do you know that?"

"Cuz I know you."

"No you don't."

"Yes…I do," Tara said playfully.

"Humph." Willow crossed her arms defensively across her chest. "So what, now I'm Miss Predictable?"

"More like…reliable."

"Great, now I'm old reliable…that's a sexy nickname," She mumbled to herself.

"Old reliable…isn't that a geyser?" Tara teased.

"That's old faithful."

"I thought that was a dog…"

"That's old yeller!"

Tara snorted at the adorably indignant redhead. "I know Sweetie, I'm just messing you."

"Well, maybe I don't wanna be reliable all the time. Maybe I'm not just some predictable gal…dog geyser person."

Tara tossed her phone on to the sofa and crawled towards Willow. She raised one hand and gently pushed Willow back on to the floor and then crawled higher up her body until she was straddling the girls' hips; with both hands resting comfortably on either side of Willow's head.

She leaned forward, within a few inches of the pouty lips in front of her. "You…are not…_predictable gal_…or…_some dog geyser person_." Tara said, kissing Willow several times. "You are reliable, but you're also sweet and funny and beautiful and most definitely sexy gal." With those last words, Willow grabbed Tara's shirt collar and pulled her all the way down; crushing their lips together. She just couldn't be that close to the girl and not be kissing her.

A few seconds later Willow broke the kiss. "Thank you," She whispered.

"For what?"

Willow reached up and tucked some stray hair behind Tara's ear. "For loving me." Willow's voice was barely audible.

Tara smiled sweetly, "My pleasure."

Just as Tara made a move to kiss Willow again, a squealing baby climbed on her back. "Ugh."

Willow laughed, "Someone's jealous…again."

Tara sank forward on to Willow and buried her face in Willow's neck. "I think she has me pinned." Tara said in a muffled voice, "Might as well make the most of it..."

Willow squirmed and giggled as the blonde began a kissing assault on her girlfriend's neck. "Tara stop! That tickles!"

"Okay, okay…I don't want to knock Chels off. Can you reach her?"

"Yeah, I think so." Willow grunted as she reached around Tara and grabbed Chelsea; pulling her up high enough for Tara to wiggle free.

Tara rolled off and blew some hair out of her face. "So, mall?"

"Okay Tare, I'll go to the mall."

"See, I knew you would!"

* * *

Tara pulled into the mall parking lot and made the rounds until she found a decent spot close to the entrance. She came to a stop, threw the car into park and killed the engine.

Tara fell back into the seat and exhaled deeply. She rolled her head towards Willow, who was siting exactly the same way and smiled. "Suddenly, the mall doesn't sound as appealing as it did before."

"Oh yeah and why is that?" Willow asked, reaching over and taking Tara's hand in hers.

"Maybe because we can't do this…" Tara replied, lacing their fingers together and gently kissing across Willow's knuckles.

Willow smiled sadly. In the short time since they'd discovered the romantic side of their relationship, it was becoming harder and harder to hide their feelings in public. Maybe it was something they shouldn't be hiding at all, but Willow had to admit; she enjoyed having Tara all to herself. Unfortunately, it was a double-edged sword.

One the one hand, it was kind of exciting having something that was just _hers_ and knowing what no one else knew. Everyone _thought_ they knew Tara, the popular cheerleader, but only Willow _really_ knew her.

One the other hand, there was still a part of her that was unsure. It was kind of like that old saying, '_if a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?'_ If no one knew about their relationship, was it real? The concept was not lost on the redhead and she'd thought about broaching the subject with Tara several times, but something always got in the way; usually in the form of an adorable blonde infant. But what if she was right? What if Tara didn't ever want anyone to know? It would be easy for her to break things off; since to the outside world, they're relationship had never existed anyway. It was a difficult predicament to be in and Willow knew, eventually, they would have to discuss coming out.

Willow wasn't sure exactly why she was feeling so insecure all of the sudden; maybe it was that darned niggling in the back of her mind again. The one that was making her feel _off_. The thing was, however, Tara had never given her any indication her feelings weren't legitimate. In fact, it was just the opposite. Then _why_ wasn't that enough?

Tara had experience, of the relationship kind. Before Willow, there were _only boys_ or just boy? Willow wasn't really sure how many previous boyfriends Tara had and only knew about the one, but he was enough to tip the scales. Tara was straight or had been? Again, it was questionable, but she herself had nothing to go on and was quickly starting to realize, she probably never would. She'd spent her adolescence trapped in perpetual Xander hell; pining away and never thinking of anyone else. Except nothing had ever come of it, maybe there was a reason for that. _Everything happens for a reason, right?_ Maybe that reason was because she was…is gay. Maybe Xander was safe and unconsciously she knew nothing would ever come of it, because deep down maybe she knew, _really knew_ it wasn't what she wanted.

Willow's eyes were staring out across the parking lot as she bit her lip in deep concentration. Tara watched and wondered where she'd gone and what she was thinking so intently about. One minute they'd been all lovey dovey and the next, Willow was lost in her own little world. Admittedly, it was something Tara had gotten used to. They could be deep into studying or whatnot and Willow would drift. It was a trait or maybe a quirk, one that Tara actually admired. Her girlfriend was a thinker; the brainy type. Tara was a thinker too, but not to this extent. The way Willow's mind worked was one of the things she loved the most about the girl, but it was time to snap her out of it as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket; knowing that Buffy was getting impatient.

Tara pulled Willow's hand to her mouth and began to kiss her hand again until Willow finally averted her gaze and made eye contact with the blonde.

Tara smiled over their conjoined hands. "You okay?" She asked sweetly, receiving a nod from Willow. "Anything you want to talk about?"

Willow shook her head, "Maybe later, longer conversation? Nothing bad though…just stuff. Sometimes it gets busy up here," Willow said as she tapped on her temple with her free hand.

Tara kissed her hand one last time before letting go, "I know, my baby's a thinker." She said, giving a voice to her prior thoughts. Tara sighed again when she felt her cell vibrate in her lap, "Buffy's getting impatient, I guess we need to get going."

"Yeah, time to get our shopping on!" Willow said with a bit of false enthusiasm, before opening her door and hopping out of the car.

Tara unloaded the stroller from the trunk while Willow unstrapped the car seat; pulling it and Chelsea from the backseat.

"Ugh," She grunted as she used both hands to lift the bulky seat. "Geez, she's getting heavy!" Willow exclaimed.

Tara smiled, holding the stroller steady. "I know, pretty soon we'll be able to put her right into the stroller without having to attach the car seat. That'll be kinda nice."

Willow sighed, "I wish I'd been around when she was a newborn."

Tara glanced at Willow out of the corner of her eye as they walked through the parking lot. She playfully bumped hips with her girlfriend. "Me too, cuz she barely slept for more than two hours at a time. I could have used the extra help!"

"I bet, you must have been exhausted. How did you manage with school and everything?"

Tara exhaled deeply, "Well, even though I had my mom and aunt around, it still wasn't easy. I really didn't know what I was doing. She didn't want to take a bottle, at first, so it was pretty much all me for awhile. I've never been so tired in my entire life."

Willow looked up with curious eyes. "What about school? I mean, it's hard now, but I can't imagine…"

Tara ducked her head. "I d-didn't go back to s-school until we came here."

"Then how…?" Willow was truly perplexed.

"I um, I did some night school, some home school and online courses for most of my junior year. That's why I'm behind in math and science. Language arts, history…those subjects are easy for me, but I really struggle in the other two. I mean, I had a hard time keeping up before, but I still got decent grades, then throw a baby in there…disaster." Tara chuckled as she gestured with her hands.

Willows smiled sadly. "I'm sorry Tare."

"It's not you're fault Will."

"I know, I just…" Willow's words trailed off as they approached the front entrance of the mall and saw Buffy waving her hands wildly over her head.

"Hey you guys, it's about time! What took you so long?" Buffy exclaimed and she jogged towards them.

Tara shrugged her shoulders and pointed at the stroller. "We're on 'BST…' _baby standard time_, and plus, we sort of had an…incident." Tara said, biting her bottom lip and looking towards Willow.

"Huh?" Buffy grunted, as they walked through the mall entrance.

"Never mind," Willow said, "It was just baby stuff. So, what's the plan?"

"Okay, first we hit the sales for the stylish, yet affordable boots, then we look for an outfit to go with and then we find the cute guys!"

"Seriously? You um, you wanna cruise guys?" Tara asked, staring at Buffy incredulously for several long seconds. She had no idea how to tell Buffy she wasn't interested without telling her the truth.

Willow became uncomfortable immediately and began to fidget, but she stayed quiet and allowed Tara to handle the situation.

"Well, it _is_ Saturday night and we don't have dates. Plus, isn't that the whole point of going to the mall in the first place? Besides," Buffy said, elbowing Tara playfully, "I heard Scott Hope works at Abercrombie."

"I t-thought we were _just_ shopping?" Tara replied, noticing Willow visibly cringe.

"Well, we are but-"

Tara quickly cut her off. "Buffy, I have Chelsea with me."

"Oh...yeah…I guess the baby thing works for guys when they want to pick up girls, but not the other way around, huh?"

Tara shook her head, laughing to herself at the irony of what she was about to say. "Um, not so much, but it does work for getting girls…so I've heard."

Willow laugh-snorted and then immediately choked; causing her to start coughing uncontrollably.

Tara patted her on the back, "You okay Will?" She asked shooting her girlfriend a wicked little grin.

"Umm hmm…" Willow managed between coughs.

"Hold on, I'll be right back!" Buffy exclaimed, dashing into a designer shoe store.

Willow was still suffering from residual coughs when Tara turned to her and patted her back again. "Sorry, I couldn't resist, but would have, had I known you'd practically cough up a lung."

Willow smirked, "So, that was your plan? Use an innocent child to advance your love life?"

"Well, it worked…didn't it?" Tara said with a lopsided smile.

"Yeah," Willow said dreamily, "It sure did."


	29. Chapter 29

**Hi All!**

**Thanks so much for your lovely comments:) More fun at the mall below!**

* * *

Chapter 29

The lazy trip to the mall had turned into something closer to a nightmare for the bookish redhead. Buffy dragged them to three boutique shoe stores before deciding to camp out in the Higbees shoe department, for over an hour. Willow was beyond bored as she watched Buffy try on shoe after shoe faster than Imelda Marcos on speed. Willow rolled her eyes when she heard Buffy squeal over yet another pair of boots. She'd never seen anyone quite that excited over footwear in her entire life.

Willow turned towards Tara, who was entertaining Chelsea in the stroller with a squeaky toy. "Tare, do you mind if I head over to the juniors department? The smell of shoe leather is starting to make my stomach all acidy."

Tara chuckled at her adorable girlfriend, leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Maybe later I can…rub your tummy."

Willow gulped audibly, "Spidoinkle!" She squeaked.

Tara grinned; thoroughly enjoying the effect she was having on the girl and discreetly running a hand over Willow's. "Go ahead sweetie."

Willow returned the smile; wanting more than anything to lean forward and kiss the blonde. It had seemed like forever since they'd last kissed.

"We'll meet you there in a few minutes, okay?" Tara said as Willow stood and started to move away.

"Okay," The redhead smirked. "Doubtful, more like a few hours." She grumbled as she walked away.

* * *

Finally, some 40 minutes later, Buffy finally settled on two pairs of knee high boots and one pair of strappy sandals.

Buffy paid and turned to Tara. "I'm starving! Let's find Willow and head to the food court."

"Sounds good, I'm hungry too. I sorta missed lunch today," Tara replied, smiling to herself when she remembered why she missed lunch in the first place and more than happy to replace said lunch with warm Willow snuggles.

As they entered the Juniors department, a rack of leather pants caught Buffy's eye, so Tara stopped with her, but continued to look for Willow. She stood on her tippy-toes and peered across the tops of the clothing racks searching for Willow's bright red hair. After a few minutes, she finally spotted her girlfriend with several items draped over one arm while perusing a sales rack with the other. Tara felt a tingly sensation in her chest as she watched Willow shop. The girl was so cute as she inspected the rack of t-shirts with cute cartoon characters and fuzzy sweaters. Every now and then Willow would remove a shirt from the rack, read the front and giggle out loud before putting it back. Tara couldn't help the smile that was slowly edging its way across her face when she saw some of the things Willow had tossed over her arm. From what Tara could see, Willow had a lime green and yellow checked mini skirt, a brown tie-dyed t-shirt and what looked to be a pair of lavender tights in her hand, amongst other things.

"I think she needs an intervention," Buffy said, breaking Tara's train of thought.

"Huh?"

"Willow, she needs a [i]serious[/i] fashion intervention. Oh, I know! Let's do a makeover!" Buffy squealed excitedly as she began to rush forward, but was suddenly stopped in her tracks by Tara's hand grasping her arm.

"Buffy, Willow doesn't need a makeover. Let her get what she wants." Buffy stared incredulously at her friend. "What?"

"Are you kidding me Tara? Have you been blinded by one of Willow's Skittle colored outfits?" Buffy asked sarcastically.

Tara's eyes narrowed and she could feel the heat beginning to rise up the back of her neck as she fought with everything she had not to physically injure her friend.

Tara took a deep breath to calm herself, "Buffy, leave her alone. I thought you agreed not to pick on her anymore." Tara all but growled through gritted teeth causing Buffy to unconsciously take a step backwards.

"Geez Tara, overact much? I'm not picking on her, I'm just [i]suggesting[/i] that maybe we coach her on her clothing choices and try to help her match things a little better."

Tara was still glaring at Buffy when she shook her head, "No, she's comfortable with who she is and that's all that matters. I don't care if she shows us a rainbow propeller hat to go with a gold satin blouse and bright purple pants. You're gonna smile and nod politely, understand?" Buffy nodded vigorously. "Good, because here she comes."

Willow turned to check out another rack when she spotted Tara and Buffy near the main aisle and engrossed in conversation. She smiled and began weaving her way through the maze of clothing racks; excited to show Tara what she picked out.

"Hey," Willow said, waving as she neared the girls.

"Hi," Tara replied as she smiled sweetly, "I see you found a few things?"

"Yep, wanna see?" She asked, excited to show Tara what she picked out.

"Absolutely," Tara said, nudging Buffy discretely with her elbow.

"Yes! Uh…I mean, I love new outfits!" Buffy semi shouted, overdoing it just a bit.

Willow went through each item enthusiastically, showing Tara and Buffy what she'd picked out. Aside from what Tara had already seen, Willow held up several other items that included a zip-up multi colored striped sweater, periwinkle blue velour overalls, a semi-sheer carpet-patterned shirt and two Scooby-Doo t-shirts.

"…and all of it was on sale!" She finished, grinning.

Tara returned the smile, "Very cute! What do you think Chels?"

The baby kicked her little legs, waved her arms and squealed loudly when Tara leaned to the side and Chelsea spotted her Will-Will.

"Hey punkin'… did you miss me?" Willow bent forward, tickling Chelsea's belly and dropping a kiss on her forehead. "So what's the plan?"

"Food. You, go pay. Me, go eat." Buffy grunted as she tugged on Willow's arm causing the redhead to giggle before heading off to find an open register.

* * *

"Wow, it's packed in here." Tara commented to Willow as she tried to catch up to Buffy, who had all but sprinted towards the pizzeria.

"Yeah…hey, why don't you find a table and I'll get us some food?" Willow asked. "That way you don't have to fight with the stroller and you can give Chel's a bottle. I think she's starting to get restless."

"I know, she has the _pre-scream look_," Tara smirked.

"Oh hey, there's an empty table!" Willow pointed excitedly. "Tare, what would you like?"

"Umm, whatever…you know what I like." Tara said, not realizing what she said and not noticing the sultry little grin popping up on Willow's face.

"Well, I _could_ give you that but, we're kind of in a public place…" Her words trailed off as she grinned at Tara with just a hint of a playful tongue poking out between her teeth.

Tara shook her head and returned the knowing look. "Don't tempt me." She grinned, pushing Willow towards the main isle. "You go that way and I'll go this way, before someone gets our table."

When Willow returned with their food, some fifteen minutes later, Buffy was inhaling a huge slice of pizza while Tara struggled with a very fussy baby.

"What's going on?" Willow asked.

"Shh ogot da boddle," Buffy mumbled with a mouth full of pizza.

"Huh? Was that even English?"

Tara caught Willow's eye, "I forgot to bring a bottle," She said pointedly.

"Oh…OH!" Willow's eyes went wide. "Um…do we need to go?"

"No, I'll go see if I can find her something to tide her over until we get home. Can you hold her while I…?"

Willow scooped Chelsea out of Tara's lap with a huge smile on her face and began to try and sweet talk the hungry little girl into a better mood. She pushed back the tray of food and sat Chelsea on the table in front of her, babbling and goofing around until she'd finally coaxed a smile out of the youngster.

"Wow," Buffy commented, "You're a regular baby whisperer, all she did with Tara was head-butt her in the chest."

"Uhh, well, you know how babies are…so, how was your pizza?" Willow said attempting to distract Buffy from the subject of Tara's chest.

"It was good," Buffy said as Chelsea began to fuss once again, tuning up to a full-blown wail. "Hey, why don't you give her a French fry?"

"Buffy, she's a baby! Babies don't eat fries, they're not good for them, plus she could choke!"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders, "My mom used to put raw eggs in my bottle to get me to sleep at night. I don't think one french fry is gonna kill her and besides Will, you're right here, I doubt you'll let her choke."

Willow stared at Buffy with a look of complete horror, making a mental note to never allow her to babysit the child…ever.

"What?" Buffy asked, completely clueless.

"Okay, here we go. I got her a banana at the health food place…no line." Tara dropped into her seat and broke off a small chunk of banana; mushing it slightly between her fingers before handing it over to Chelsea. The famished baby shoved it quickly into her mouth.

"Hey Buff, can you grab us a high chair?" Willow asked, receiving a nod from her friend.

Buffy brought the chair and Willow strapped Chelsea in as Tara tried to eat while simultaneously feeding her daughter the mushed up banana. Unfortunately, Chelsea soon grew bored with the banana and once again began to throw herself towards her mothers' chest; kicking and screaming while fighting the high chair strap.

Tara sighed, with a look of complete frustration and utter exasperation etched on her face.

"We should go!" Willow exclaimed as she started to gather up the trash at the table.

Buffy whined, "But we just got here."

"I-It's okay Will, I think she just needs to be [i]changed.[/i]" Tara said, putting emphasis on the last word, before reaching for the diaper bag under the stroller.

"Riiight…changed. Why don't you go [i]change[/i] her and Buffy and I'll wait for you here. No rush." Willow winked.

Chelsea was crying and inconsolable when Tara reached to unstrap her. "Oh sweetie, it's okay...I've got you. Shhh….." She cooed, snuggling the infant to her chest. Tara closed her eyes and kissed her forehead as she rocked for a few seconds; trying to get her to calm before heading for the bathroom.

Willow was completely entranced watching the sweet interaction, falling just a little more in love with Tara. She watched with a sappy smile on her face until Tara was out of sight; finally broken from her trance by Buffy's rambling.

* * *

Willow did her best to try and look interested as Buffy went on and on talking endlessly about boys and shoes. Two things Willow cared nothing about.

"Man, what's taking Tara so long? I still have two places I wanna hit before the mall closes and I need Tara's opinion." Buffy whined yet again.

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "Sometimes there's a line at the changing table…" She said weakly, having no idea what else to say and knowing full well Tara was parked on the sofa nursing Chelsea.

They talked for a few more minutes, before Buffy sighed dramatically. "I'm gonna go dump my tray. You want anything?"

Willow shook her head 'no' in response and sank back into her chair; pulling out her cell to check for any messages. After a long moment, she noticed Buffy hadn't returned. Sitting up taller, Willow scanned the food court and her eyes almost bugged out of her head when she finally spotted Buffy…heading straight towards the women's restroom.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Willow panicked. "NO, WAIT!" She jumped from her chair and shouted across the crowded food court; garnering more than a few looks from mall patrons. She quickly grabbed the shopping bags and shoved them into the stroller before taking off in the same direction as Buffy.

Willow struggled with the bulky stroller and did her best to carve a path through the evening dinner crowd, but seemed to be continually blocked by slower moving people. She'd already lost sight of Buffy and knew that wasn't a good sign. She could only hope that Tara was done feeding Chelsea and had moved on to the changing table.

Finally breaking from the masses, she sprinted down the long hall and turned left into the restrooms. As Willow entered, she made a quick right and then a left; putting her in the middle of the nicely furnished sitting room outside of the stall area. She came flying around the corner so fast, that she almost smashed straight into Buffy. She could practically hear herself come to a screeching halt, like car tires on asphalt.

Willow was panting and slightly sweating as she took in the scene in front of her. Buffy was frozen in place, her mouth agape and staring wide eyed at her friend sitting on the couch. Tara, in return was also staring at Buffy, her face etched with shock and concern as she struggled to keep her nursing daughter under the receiving blanket.

Finally Buffy blinked and shook her head slightly. "Tara, what the fuck? She's your sister!"

"Buffy please…I can explain-"

"No…no, not your sister…" Buffy interrupted, "You…you lied. To me…to all of us."

Tara didn't really quite know what to say and simply nodded in agreement, her eyes finally breaking from Buffy's and glancing towards Willow.

The move did not go unnoticed by Buffy, who quickly spun towards the still panting redhead. "How long have you known?" She asked pointedly.

Willow shrugged her shoulders, "Awhile," She said in a whisper.

"Unbelievable," Buffy hissed angrily, before turning on her heels and marching out of the restroom.

"Shit…" Tara sighed, looking completely dejected.

Willow moved closer and parked the stroller next to her girlfriend. She squatted down in front of her; placing her hands on Tara's knees. "Are you okay?"

Tara nodded, but her eyes said otherwise. The bright blue sparkle was gone, replaced by the cloudy gray of unshed tears.

Willow squeezed Tara's knees and gave her a sympathetic look. "She's just in shock, i-it's a lot to take in. I'll go talk to her. Will you be okay…here?" Willow asked as she stood. Tara nodded again and reached out for Willow's hand; seeking some much needed comfort. "It'll be alright Tare, I promise."

As soon as Willow was back out on the food court, she began searching for Buffy, but the petite blonde was nowhere to be found. She walked the perimeter, making a quick sweep before wandering out into the main isle of the mall. The crowd was thinning as the evening wore on and Willow had a clear view in all directions. She made her way to a short brick wall surrounding a large planter and hopped on top to get a better vantage point. She walked all the way around, scanning the entire mall, but still no Buffy.

Willow sighed in defeat and decided to go back to Tara, but just as she passed the mall exit, a flash of blonde hair caught her eye.

Willow exited the mall to find Buffy sitting on a bench with her knees pulled up to her chest and lost in thought. She approached silently and sat next to her.

"Hey," Willow said softly.

"Hey."

"Are um, are you okay Buff?"

Buffy sighed heavily and turned towards Willow. "So, Chelsea is Tara's daughter and not her sister?" Buffy already knew the answer; it was more of a rhetorical question, but one needing confirmation nonetheless.

"Yes."

"All this time…I can't believe she lied, straight to my face for months. How long is awhile?"

Willow looked questionable at Buffy; not completely following her train of thought. "Huh?"

"You said you've known for awhile. How long is awhile?" Buffy clarified.

"Oh um, a few months. Since right before I started baby sitting." Buffy nodded in acknowledgement. "Buffy, please don't be mad at her. She was only doing what she thought she needed to do, to protect Chelsea and herself."

"From what? From her friends? Because the last time I checked you shouldn't be afraid of your friends." Buffy was still angry and her voice was laced with venom.

Willow squirmed uncomfortably and stammered, "I-It's complicated Buff…put yourself in her position for a minute. Teenage girl back in town with a baby…" Willow choose her words carefully, because didn't want to say too much, not knowing what would be okay with Tara to disclose. "Then there's Cordelia and all that stuff…"

Buffy's eyes widened, "Oh God, if she found out…" Finally hit with the clue stick, it suddenly dawned on Buffy why Tara stayed quiet and her initial anger began to dissipate. Cordelia's knack for cruelty not withstanding, Buffy knew without a doubt, that Cordy would never have allowed Tara on the squad if she'd known the truth. She also would have gone out of her way to make Tara's life miserable. Buffy hung her head. "I just feel so stupid."

"Why?"

"Because I should have figured it out Willow. I mean, the signs were everywhere and my God they look exactly alike! Chelsea is like a little [i]Mini-Tara.[/i] I was so caught up in myself that I never even noticed. Here she is going through something huge, probably needing her friends more than ever and I totally failed her. I'm a horrible friend!" With that, Buffy burst out crying and dropped her head into her hands.

Willow scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Buffy's shoulders. "You didn't fail her Buffy and besides, you're here now and that's what matters."

Buffy sniffled and nodded her head against Willow's shoulder. "Thanks Will, you're a really good friend…you know that?"

Willow nodded and smiled, "Thanks Buff." Just as they pulled apart, Willow's phone began to vibrate. She pulled it out of her pocket and smiled; an involuntary reaction that occurred whenever Tara called her. "Hey," Willow said as she answered.

"Hi, did you find Buffy?" Tara replied with a concerned tone of voice.

"Yeah and everything is fine. We're outside the food court exit."

"Okay, I'll be meet you there."

"Okay." Willow pushed the end button and returned the cell to her pants pocket. "She's on her way." Willow said turning to watch for her girlfriend.

A few minutes later, Tara emerged from the mall with a much happier baby. Chelsea was in the stroller cooing and playing with the toys attached to the car seat handle. As soon as they cleared the doors, Buffy jumped up and threw her self at Tara; gripping her in a tight hug and surprising her friend in the process.

Tara glanced over Buffy's shoulder at Willow with a sweet smile and mouthed, [i]thank you[/i] in Willow's direction.

"Oh God Tara, I'm so sorry how I reacted." Buffy squeezed Tara tighter, "It's not everyday you see one of your best friends with a baby attached to her boob."

Willow chuckled at Buffy's choice of words as she rose from the bench and pulled the stroller towards her.

"Buff, oxygen…becoming an issue." Tara groaned.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I don't know my own strength sometimes," Buffy blushed.

"You're surprisingly strong for such a small girl," Tara teased as she caught her breath. "Buffy, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you right from the start. I-"

"No, it's okay. Willow and I talked and I really do understand why you kept it quiet and I promise, I won't say a word to anyone. Just please promise you won't keep any more big secrets, okay?"

Willow's head shot up and Tara's face turned scarlet as she began to fidget nervously. She looked up and met Willow's eyes.

"What?" Buffy asked, looking between the two girls.

Willow sighed heavily, shrugging her shoulders and nodding; silently giving Tara the okay to tell Buffy about their relationship.

"Umm..w-w-well…uhhh, t-there is o-one other thing." Tara grimaced as her stutter took over.

Willow noticed, hating how the speech impediment made Tara feel and reached out a hand; motioning for her girlfriend to come closer. Tara accepted the invitation as Willow stood. "Buffy, maybe you should sit down," Said the redhead who was now holding Tara's hand.

"Why? How bad could it be? What is it with you two and all the secrets? And the hand holding…" Buffy's voice drifted off as she stared at their intertwined fingers.

As soon as Tara took Willow's hand, she felt a calm wash over her almost instantly, followed by a sudden rush of confidence. "Buffy," Tara said gently, "The r-real reason I didn't want to _cruise guys_ or meet up with Scott is because…well…i-it's complicated." Tara said as she tightened her grip on Willow's hand.

Buffy looked suitably confused by Tara's half answer. "Why complicated? He's likes you, at least that's what Larry told me and plus he's popular and super cute."

Tara took a deep breath, wondering why this was so difficult to say out loud. She wasn't ashamed of Willow or of her feelings for the adorable redhead, but at the moment, words seemed to be eluding her. "It's complicated…because of Willow."

Buffy looked completely bewildered. "You mean Willow has a crush on Scott? No, not…oh. Ohhh." Buffy finally caught on, her eyes as wide as saucers. She was definitely thrown for a loop. She took a step backwards, breaking eye contact with Tara and pacing nervously.

"Well…that's great too, right? I mean, she seems like a great girl." Buffy was trying to be supportive and not blow it again, but her nerves were getting the best of her and she seemingly forgot Willow was standing right in front of her, still linked to Tara.

"She is," Tara said meaningfully and turned to look Willow in the eyes, but still addressing Buffy. "And there's something between us…I wasn't looking for it, you know. It's just totally powerful and different from anything I've ever felt for anyone before." The girls smiled at each other, lost in each other's eyes and almost forgetting the ponderous situation they were caught up in.

Then, as if hit by a truck, the full force of Tara's words finally struck home and Buffy launched into an incredibly awkward babble. "Well, there you go then. You have to follow your heart, Tare. I mean, that's what's important, Tare."

Tara cocked her head at Buffy's odd behavior. "How come you keep saying my name like that?"

"Like what Tare?"

"She's totally freaked," Willow whispered, finally joining the conversation.

"Freaked…what would give you that idea? Just because I find out, over the course of…" Buffy glanced at her watch, "…oh about fifteen minutes, that not only does my best friend have a baby, but that she's also a lesbian. Why in the world would I be freaked!?" Buffy shouted and then dropped unceremoniously on to the bench.

Willow let go of Tara's hand and sat down next to Buffy, giving her an extreme sense of deja vu. "Buffy?"

"Is that it? Because there's only so much I can take before my head explodes. You're not about to tell me another crazy secret like…Percy is Chelsea's father or something…are you?"

"NO!" Both Willow and Tara shouted emphatically at the same time. The three girls all looked at each other and suddenly burst out laughing; finally relieving the tension.

After several minutes, the laughter died down and Tara sighed. "Well, I hate to break up this happy little party, but it's getting late and I need to get Chelsea home."

Everyone nodded as they gathered their things.

"Tara?"

"Yeah Buff…"

"I hate to ask but do you mind giving me a ride home?"

Tara smiled, wrapping an arm around Buffy's soulders. "Not at all."

When they finally arrived at Tara's car, Willow took the initiative and began the arduous task of securing Chelsea and the carrier to the backseat; leaving Tara to collapse the stroller and store it in the trunk.

Buffy followed, holding the shopping bags; ready to load them into the trunk as well.

"So, you're really gay AND dating Willow? This is all so…surreal."

Tara nodded, "Yeah…well, not really dating. We're um…we're sort of past that stage, I think."

Buffy's mouth dropped open. "You mean you've already had se-"

"NO! N-Not, definitely not…no. I just meant, we're more in a relationship than actually [i]dating-dating.[/i]"

Buffy smirked, unable to pass up the opportunity to tease Tara a little. "Hmm, so that sounded a wee bit too denfensive. Are you sure you haven't-"

"_Buffy_…" Tara warned.

"Okay, okay. So, it's serious then?"

Tara bashfully ducked her head and nodded once again. "Yes…very."

"Geez, no wonder you went all 'overprotective gal' on me earlier. How long has this been going on? And who is Chelsea's father?"

Tara snorted with laughter and pulled Buffy by the shirt-sleeve. "Come on, I'm tired…you can grill me tomorrow and I'll tell you anything you want to know."


End file.
